


Starting Over

by Alexabout



Series: The Right Dance Partner [1]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012), Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Crossover Pairings, DC comics - Freeform, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Marvel Universe, Romance, Suicide Squad (Arrow TV)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-29
Updated: 2015-10-11
Packaged: 2018-04-06 17:17:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 47
Words: 146,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4230225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alexabout/pseuds/Alexabout
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With Oliver and Sara back together, Felicity feels the need to get away and goes on vacation with Dig to meet a good friend of his, Sam Wilson. Steve Rogers is just out of hospital and coming to terms with all the changes since SHIELD is no more (after the Winter Soldier). Fate decides to bring Steve and Felicity together but will the events in each of their lives going forward serve to tear them apart or bring them together?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Smithsonian

**Author's Note:**

> Notes: I do not own these characters or properties nor do I receive any monetary gain from this work. There is also no copyright infringement intended. All rights, all characters and lines of dialog that you may recognise are owned by and attributed to DC and Marvel..  
> Notes: Takes place in .... Arrowverse: Some time mid season 2. Captain America: Just after the Winter Soldier. The Avengers: before Avengers 2. 
> 
> Even though I love Olicity, I am equally enamored by the Felicity/Steve Rogers pairing. I’ve been equally inspired by NocturnalRites and Remerkaba and all the other Stelicity stories I have read so far, which has prompted me to write my very first fanfiction. Let me know what you think.

Felicity was feeling happier and was actually smiling as she gazed lovingly at the exhibit of an old IBM system from the 1960s. This was definitely one of my better ideas, she thought to herself as she slowly strolled through the computer exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.

She paused at an old server system that for some reason, reminded her of the IT department at Queen Consolidated. Not that they would have such an outdated server, she mused, even if Oliver was kind of outdated. The thought of Oliver immediately wiped the smile from her face and she tried to clamp down on her thoughts of him. She had to stop thinking about him and reminded herself that there was a reason she was in Washington D.C. on vacation. Ever since Oliver had started to date Sara again, it had become too painful for her to around them, especially when they were together in the Arrow Cave.

She had felt underappreciated and unnoticed, or perhaps avoided would have been a better description. She was sure that Oliver knew how she felt about him, or at least he knew that she had a crush on him. That he was pretending to be oblivious to her feelings hurt her deeply and she had needed to get away from the tension that had seeped into their relationship recently. She still considered him one of her best friends but at the same time, she needed to find some peace with the situation. So when Digg had suggested that she join him during his trip to see a close buddy of his from his time in Afghanistan, she had jumped at the opportunity to take a much needed vacation. After all, Oliver and Sara had made it quite clear they could handle things without her and they hadn’t been too upset that Digg would be gone either. They probably felt like they had more private personal time together doing whatever they did.

Felicity was about to move on to the next exhibit when she heard a soft sigh. Turning her head, she looked at the man standing next to her whose gaze was fixed on the exhibit in front of them. He was shaking his head and rubbed at his temple as if he had a headache. “It's not that bad. They’re built a lot smaller now. So small that you can actually lift them with one hand, or maybe just one finger. Yup, one finger will be enough for you since you have such big, strong muscles. But even if the servers were bigger, you probably wouldn’t have a problem moving them either, and what on earth am I saying? I’m just going to stop in 3…2…1.” Felicity pressed her mouth shut and closed her eyes as she felt her face heating up in embarrassment. She heard an amused chuckle and slowly opened her eyes to find herself looking at a pair of beautiful blue eyes and a very handsome face. Way to go Felicity, you always make such a great first impression, she mentally berated herself as she dipped her head, blushing from her usual verbal diarrhoea.

“So how small are you talking about?” he asked with a smile. She glanced at him to see if he was making fun of her and when she saw he was genuinely curious, she told him that it would depend on what the server was being used for. She then launched into an explanation of servers used by government organizations to portable servers as small as books. She suddenly paused mid-explanation, realizing that such verbosity was never considered sexy, especially by someone as gorgeous as the man standing in front of her. “I’m so sorry,” she apologized glancing up at him, “I tend to get carried away when it comes to anything to do with computers. I’m sure I’m boring you to death with all of this information.”

“Please don’t apologize. I don’t know much about computers, which is why I’m here to try to figure out a little about their history. And your explanation was fascinating, although I’m a little lost still,” he said, smiling at her. Felicity was not sure if she believed him. He looked like he was only a little older than her so how could he not know much about computers. Perhaps he was just being polite. After all, he looked decent enough, and why was his gorgeous smile making her heart pound just that little bit faster. Stop it, she scolded herself thinking that someone like him could never be interested in her.

She looked quickly at her watch and realized how late it was. She had promised to meet Digg somewhere nearby as they supposed to head over to his friend's home for dinner that night. She was curious about this friend that Digg had never mentioned him before, but then Digg had always avoided talking much about his time in the Special Forces. Felicity smiled up at the man standing next to her and said, “I’m sorry, I have to run. But it was nice chatting with you. Enjoy the rest of the exhibit.” She waved goodbye to him before quickly walking off.

Steve Rogers gazed after her retreating figure with huge smile on his face. She was incredibly beautiful and fascinating and he regretted not asking for her name. But he would probably never see her again, so what would be the point? He had come to the museum searching for some peace and quiet. After all, he had just recently been released from hospital and SHIELD was in shambles. Natasha had left to try to figure things out and he felt like he needed to do the same, but he would stay in Washington D.C. for a while more. He checked the time and decided to head over to Sam’s place. He was expected for dinner as Sam wanted him to meet some friends of his from out of town. He wasn’t really feeling very social, but he knew Sam wanted to try to get him out of the rut he was in, especially how he was feeling about Bucky being missing. He shook his head to clear it and headed out, telling himself that meeting people was never a bad thing, especially a friend that Sam had such high admiration for.


	2. Something You Need to Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Notes:  
> ________________________________________________________  
> Thank you everyone for all your wonderful comments and kudos. I never expected such an amazing response for my first attempt at writing and I’ve had a huge smile on my face all day. I got this chapter out pretty fast as I was inspired but please do forgive any errors or crappy writing. Let me know what you think. Happy reading!  
> ________________________________________________________  
> 

“How long have you been grilling those ribs, Sam? I saw you out here grilling before I left.” Steve walked out onto the small deck at the back of the house, the aroma of grilled meat making his mouth water. 

“Well ya see, these here ribs are gonna be fine! I’ll let you know, cooking ribs is an art form and they need to be cooked low and slow for at least 3 to 5 hours. The longer the better. You are looking at the Pitmaster, my friend! So watch and learn as someday, you might measure up to good ole me when I taste your cooked ribs!” Sam sent a lazy smile at Steve as he downed the last of his beer. 

Steve laughed and reached into the cooler to get a beer for himself. “Is that why you are cooking mounds of meat? To prove a point?” he asked as he sat down on a nearby chair. 

“Nope! It’s because no one gets between man and his meat and I predict at least three hearty appetites at work during dinner. Not sure about my buddy’s friend as I have never met her before. But I’ll bet I can impress the lady.” Sam smirked and wriggled his eyebrows. “Not that you need to know how to do that, cos’ I’m sure they are falling at your feet, Mr. Captain America. You’ll probably run right by them saying ‘on your left’ as your kiss them standing in line.” 

“I don’t have that much experience with the dames, Sam.” Steve tried to shrug it off. He felt uncomfortable talking about the ladies and he was still working on understanding how to talk to the new 21st century woman and braving the whole dating scene. Which was why he had never agreed to any of the dates Nat had tried to set up. As far as he was concerned, there were too many crazy women that seemed to throw themselves at him when he was in uniform. No one had tried to get to know the man behind the shield. 

“Is that why no ladies have come knocking at my door since you’ve been staying here, man? And I thought it was because you were respecting me and all.” Sam teased. He didn’t want to push Steve too much. The poor guy hadn’t been able to go back to his apartment after he had been discharged from hospital. It had pretty much been destroyed after the attack on Fury and Steve had wanted to lay low with someone he could trust while he figured out what he wanted to do going forward. He hadn’t contacted the rest of the Avengers although he knew Tony Stark and Maria Hill had been trying to call him. Sam figured Steve could stay with him as long as he needed. 

*

“Felicity, you didn’t have to buy so many bottles of wine,” Digg laughed as he sat waiting for the light to change. “I’m not sure if Sam is much of a wine drinker.”

“Well, I couldn’t very well go to your friend’s place empty handed. And I have no idea what we are eating so I needed to buy different reds and whites to pair with different kinds of food, just in case. And, I’ve never met any other good friend of yours besides Lyla and Oliver, so I really wanted to get something nice for him. Someone that close to you must be quite special!” Felicity said excitedly as she looked out the window at the neighbourhood they were driving through. 

Digg looked over at Felicity and felt relieved that she seemed happy and was smiling. He knew how Felicity felt about Oliver and had seen how hurt she had been when Oliver and Sara had started dating. Over the last month, she had stopped smiling and had been struggling to act as if everything was normal, both at QC and at the lair. Oliver had not helped the situation by acting coldly toward Felicity and being so opening affectionate toward Sara whenever Felicity was present. He wasn’t sure what Oliver was trying to prove, but it had caused unnecessary tension whenever they were around each other and it was about to blow up in everyone’s face. Which was why he had suggested the vacation to Felicity. She had agreed to it saying that she needed to get away and work on having fun and doing something that she loved for a change. To her, two weeks exploring all that the nation’s capital could offer sounded like the perfect plan. 

He momentarily felt a twinge of anger toward Oliver. He knew that Oliver had feelings for Felicity and perhaps this was Oliver’s way of dealing with those feelings, by running in another direction. But if he continued to keep pushing Felicity away and knowingly hurt her, even if he felt it was for her own good, he would lose Felicity. Oliver and Felicity were both his best friends, but Digg would stand by Felicity if she needed him. He didn’t agree at all with what Oliver was doing, even though he understood why Oliver was behaving the way he was. Digg pushed these thoughts aside as he drove up to Sam’s house and parked. “We’re here,” he said grinning at Felicity. 

*

Felicity let Digg carry the bag with the 5 bottles of wine and rang the bell. She couldn’t wait to meet Sam and was extremely curious to know what he was like. She was just about bouncing on her toes from excitement. The door was flung open and a warm friendly face greeted her and Digg. 

“Digg my man! How have ya been?” Sam clapped Digg on the back before turning to Felicity. “And you must be Felicity who I have heard nothing about from our friend Digg over here. Nope, nothing!” Digg frowned at Sam as Felicity laughed, shaking Sam’s hand. He was nothing like Digg, definitely not the strong and silent type. She liked him already, she thought smiling as she was ushered into the house. That was her last thought as she stopped short, looking up into the familiar blue eyes belonging to the man who had just stepped out of the living room to greet them.

“It’s you!” Felicity and Steve said at the same time, looking at each other in surprise.

“Uh… you both know each other?” Sam asked, bewildered.

“We uh… met at the museum this afternoon,” Steve answered, smiling slightly at the beautiful woman he hadn’t thought he’s meet again. 

“Finger man. I mean, I told you what you could do with your fingers, which is a lot by the way, but not in the way I mean. I mean, that should not have sounded so dirty. You have clean fingers that could do wonders. With a lot of things. Not to me of course. That is if you don’t want to. What am I saying? Digg, stop me please!” Felicity flushed red with mortification as she turned to Digg, only to see him standing there with his mouth hanging open. “Uh, Digg?”

“You’re Captain America.” Digg managed to stutter out while his face split into a huge grin. He suddenly remembered himself and snapped out a salute. “Sgt. John Diggle. It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir!” 

“Steve Rogers, and please, just call me Steve.” Holding out his hand, Steve tried to shake Digg’s hand instead. He wanted to return the salute, but he was in Sam’s home and in a personal setting, and after all… was he still a Captain after S.H.I.E.L.D. had fallen? He didn’t know.

Steve turned his attention back to the beautiful dame who was staring at him open mouthed. Smiling tentatively at her, he held out his hand saying, “Hi. I’m Steve.” 

Felicity didn’t know what to think, but managed to get her jaw off the floor. “Felicity Smoak. Hi.” She said before turning beet red when she realized that she had just had the most humiliating finger talk with Captain America. Way to go, Felicity! Of course you must thoroughly embarrass yourself in front of this gorgeous specimen of a man! And it is not his baby blues that’s getting you to put a foot in your mouth! You need a hole… large enough to swallow you. Although his smile is wonderful and he seems to be enjoying himself… wait...he’s laughing… huh? 

Steve was trying not to laugh but failing and he thought Felicity was adorable. She obviously had not known that she was thinking out loud. He watched fascinated as her face flushed an even brighter shade of red when she finally realised why he was chuckling and he didn’t want her to feel even worse than she was already feeling. “Hey, I think your eyes are way more beautiful than mine. But thank you. It’s a wonderful compliment.” Steve said with a shy smile. She had said he was a gorgeous specimen. That was a good thing wasn’t it? Did that mean she liked him or was it because he was Captain America? He frowned at his last thought. 

Digg stifling his laughter, handed the bag of wine to Sam. “Here. Felicity bought wine for you.”

Felicity smiled at Digg, grateful for the change of subject. “I didn’t know what we were having for dinner so I bought a few different kinds of wine to pair the food with.” 

“Well, I’m grilling some exquisite ribs… only the best cuts! They should be done soon.” Sam said proudly.

Digg frowned and looked at Felicity. “I’m sorry. I forgot to tell Sam.”

“Tell me what?” Sam said, confused.

“Felicity is Jewish. She can’t eat any pork.” Digg felt awful that he had forgotten to mention it to Sam. 

“Don’t worry. I can eat anything else that you have. I don’t mind.” Felicity said when she saw the disappointed look on Sam’s face. He had probably gone out of his way to get something he had thought they would like, especially for Digg.

“I didn’t really prepare much else except some grilled vegetables and corn.” Sam was becoming flustered, trying to remember what else he had in his fridge. He hadn’t bought that many groceries besides what he needed for the dinner. He and Steve had not cooked much in the last week and he had planned to ask Steve what he had wanted before stocking the fridge.

“There are a couple of great take out places a short distance away. I can go grab some extra dishes for us.” Steve offered. Well, he thought they were decent but how was he to know since he was still trying to get used to something other than the food he boiled back in the day or army rations. But Sam had worked on grilling those ribs all day and he didn’t want Sam to feel bad. Besides, Felicity was being so understanding and sweet about the dinner menu and he wanted to get her something to eat that she could enjoy without her feeling that she was an inconvenience. 

Felicity smiled up at him. “Do you mind if I go with you?” She was curious to know what was considered great takeout as all she usually ate was Chinese food, pizza or Big Belly burgers. Of course that was it and not her wanting to spend some time with Steve, who she seemed to be reacting quite strangely to. 

Steve’s heart sped up a little. “Not at all. I’d enjoy the company. After you ma’am.” He said as he held the front door open for Felicity, catching the sweet smell of her shampoo as she brushed past him. He took a deep breath and grabbed the set of car keys off the table near the door. “Sam, I’m borrowing your car,” he said before quickly walking out after Felicity.


	3. What's on Your List?

Notes:  
___________________________________________

Once again, you are all amazing! Thank you so much for all the wonderful comments, kudos and support! I’m as excited as you to see where this relationship with Steve and Felicity is heading and so, I had to get this chapter out as fast as I could to share it with you. I’ve managed to plan the next chapter or two but if you have any secret Stelicity fantasies that you would like me to know of, I can always see if I can work it in somewhere down the line. After all, I don’t think I’m the only one that thinks they are an absolutely brilliant couple. Enjoy!  
___________________________________________

 

“So is there anything special you would like to eat? I know there’s a Shawarma place near here, along with Italian, Portuguese Chicken and this great Pizza place. But we can try other takeout places too.” Steve looked over at Felicity, as she fastened her seatbelt. 

She flashed him a huge smile which made his heart skip a beat. “All of those sound great. Do you have a favourite?” she asked. Now that she was sitting alone with him, she was a little nervous. He made her heart flutter and she kept trying to sneak glances at him. 

“Shawarma and the Portuguese Chicken place. They both have great side dishes too.” Steve answered after carefully considering where she would probably be able to find something that could be eaten with the ribs Sam had grilled. He intended to buy enough food for everyone to share, so that Felicity wouldn’t feel awkward having different menu options.

“Sounds yummy! I’ll let you choose, whichever is more convenient for you,” she said as she settled back in her seat. She felt bad that he had to go out of his way to buy her something she could eat. But at the same time, she found it really sweet that he had offered, especially since they had just met. “So, did you enjoy the museum today?” she asked, curious since he really did not seem like the type to be at all interested in old computers and old fashioned machines. 

“Not really. I went there because I wanted to cross something off my list,” Steve answered as he drove off in the direction of the Portuguese Chicken restaurant. Juicy chicken, potatoes and rice seemed like a good idea right now.

“What list would that be and what did you want to cross off?” Felicity asked, hoping that Steve wouldn’t think she was being too nosy.

“I have a list of things or people that I want to learn more about who are famous, important or interesting. Things I’ve missed when I was asleep. They are usually recommendations from others but occasionally, I hear about them myself and I add them to my list. I had Steve Jobs and Apple computers on my list. The exhibit on computers seemed like a good place to start. But I don’t think I learnt much about him or the computers before I had to leave.” Steve really didn’t think he had learnt anything at all, if he was going to be honest.

Felicity turned toward him excitedly. “Well then, you’re in luck! Because you are sitting next to a computer genius who happens to know everything about Steve Jobs and Apple computers. I can tell you all about his genius, a quick history of the company and why Apple products are revolutionary and how they changed the face of technology. That is if you want me to off course.” 

Steve looked at her and laughed at how excited she was. Her cheeks were pink, her eyes twinkling, her hair billowing gently around her from the window being down and she had that amazing smile on her face. She was breathtaking! And he was in trouble. He just knew it. “Thank you. That sounds great! It would definitely be better than me struggling with all the information on the internet.”

“What else is on your list? Maybe I can help with some of them too,” Felicity was pleased to know she could help him with at least something. 

“Hmm, if I remember, I had the Moon Landing, the Berlin Wall, this movie called Star Wars or trek something or other, which I’ve watched. I’ll show you the list if you like.” Steve was trying hard to focus on the road rather than looking her way. Perhaps sharing his list with her would be a bad idea. It would only show her how out of sync he was with the world. 

“It’s Star Wars although there is another series of movies called Star Trek. Did you like it? I’m definitely a Star Wars fan. Although, I still can’t put my finger on why Star Wars fans and Trekkie fans don’t mix. You won’t be hearing me spout Klingon anytime soon. But then again, I prefer Jabba speak. And here I go again. I’m sorry.” Felicity pursed her lips shut and glanced sideways at Steve who looked lost and confused.

“What is Klingon or Jabba? I remember the Deathstar and Light Sabers. But I only watched the one movie. Are there more?” He loved when she speed talked although he hadn’t a clue what she was talking about. He had come to realize that when she was lost in her own head, she would tilt her head to one side and gesture wildly with a really adorable smile on face. 

“We can marathon some movies. There are six Star Wars movies although the first three are the best and then we can watch Star Trek. Other classics like the Dr. Who TV series are a must watch too! I’ve spent many nights on my couch in my pajamas with popcorn watching these favourites. Not that you needed to know that and my boring life. But, we can always watch some of the movies on my tablet if you want to.” Felicity blushed as she realised that she had just asked Steve to cosy up with her to watch movies. Way to get ahead of yourself Felicity, she cursed as she mentally smacked herself. 

Steve was unsure if he wanted to watch any more Star Wars movies. “I didn’t really like the movie much. I thought it had some great effects and was very realistic. So realistic that it reminded me of our battle in New York. And from what Thor tells me about the worlds he has explored, I really don’t want to imagine what else could exist out there that I would have to deal with. It’s a little too close to home. But I would love to watch other movies with you that you think important.” Was he being too forward? He hoped not but he really wanted to see her again beyond that day. He gave himself a mental shake. What was he thinking? With all that was happening, how could he be thinking of seeing her again. He had to find Bucky and deal with the fallout from S.H.I.E.L.D. In addition, they had just met and she would be returning home soon. He must be crazy, he thought to himself soberly.

“I’m so sorry,” Felicity apologized, seeing Steve frown. “I didn’t consider how you would feel especially after all that you have been through. I cannot imagine the horrors you have had to witness and the battles you have had to fight. Please forgive my insensitivity.”

Steve looked at her surprised. “No, please don’t apologize. I do want to watch some of these movies with you but maybe we can intersperse movies on aliens and space with other kinds of movies. Perhaps I may even have the opportunity to introduce you to Thor one day. He can give you a better perspective on how space travel works,” he stuttered out. What was he saying now? Introduce her to Thor? Hadn’t he just thought that seeing more of her was bad idea. And why would she want to see more of him? Maybe she would be enamoured with a God, not that he had a right to be jealous of Thor. Why would she even consider sticking around? What was it about her that was making him second guess every other thought he had? 

He parked the car near the restaurant and got out quickly to open the door for her. She smiled at the old-fashioned gentlemanly gesture and thanked him. Getting out of the car, she placed a hand on his arm as she stood up. “Steve, we don’t have to watch movies. We can always do something else. What else is on your list?” she asked as they walked in the door. In answer to her question, he pulled out his little notebook and let her look through it as he placed an order for food. 

Standing to the side while waiting for their order, Steve decided that he was going to throw caution to the wind. “Felicity, all you’ve done is offer to help me with the items on my list. Maybe in return for your help, I can show you around D.C. while you are here. Is there anywhere you would like to visit? I can take you.” Steve managed to say before he turned a shade of pink.

Felicity didn’t know what to think. Was he asking her out on a date? Maybe he was just trying to be nice and take her out sightseeing as repayment for her helping him. Totally platonic. Yes, that was what it was, she tried to convince herself. But her heart was racing with nervous excitement at the thought of spending time with him. Okay, Felicity, get a hold of yourself, girl! It was too hard though, as he was looking at her too intensely and she realised that she hadn’t answered him yet. “Um, I would really like to visit the Holocaust Memorial Museum. I really don’t want to go alone and I was going to ask Digg to go with me. But if you don’t mind, you could accompany me there. Is that okay?” She held her breath waiting for his answer.

Steve was relieved. She didn’t mind his company and wanted to see more of him. “Of course I don’t mind. I’ve never been there myself. When would you like to go?” 

“We could go tomorrow, or the day after.” Felicity frantically tried to remember if Digg had mentioned any plans. Would he be angry that she was abandoning him for a day? Well, maybe he could spend some time with Sam. Yup, she was a bad, bad friend! She would have to make it up to Digg.

Steve laughed. “You’re not a bad friend at all! Digg can come too or Sam can keep him occupied. Tomorrow sounds good though.” He did wish that Digg would be busy. He wanted to spend more time with Felicity, possibility alone, although he was careful to caution himself that she probably did not think of their trip as a date.

Felicity shook her head and tried not to look horrified that she was thinking out loud again. But Steve was smiling at her and he had said they could go tomorrow. Her heart started beating faster as she looked up at him. He was gazing at her intently with eyes framed by the longest lashes she had ever seen. Smiling shyly, she nodded. “Okay, tomorrow then.”


	4. Tell Me More About You

Notes:  
___________________________________________

Today is Canada Day and I had a lovely day off. So guess what I did… I wrote another chapter.  
I must say that all the love, comments, kudos and support that I’m receiving for this story have been overwhelming and I thank all of you reading from the bottom of my heart! It definitely keeps me inspired. This chapter is a little heavier, but Sam and Digg deserve some love and attention. As always, let me know what you think and forgive any mistakes. Happy Reading!  
___________________________________________

 

“So how has life been going for you?” Sam asked Digg, leading him onto the deck. “Want a beer?” Sam asked as he opened the cooler.

“Sure, thanks!” Digg replied, grabbing the beer that Sam held out and taking a seat in a nearby chair. “Life’s been good. Busy. Seeing Lyla again.” Digg stretched out his legs, relaxing. 

Sam rolled his eyes. “Could you be any briefer? Still a man of few words, eh bro? I’m sure your life is not summed up in three short sentences. How are you really doing? And whatcha mean you’re seeing Lyla again?” 

Digg looked over at Sam. He knew his friend wouldn’t let up anytime soon. “You about to counsel me like you do at the VA, man? I’m getting on well enough. A lot has happened recently that has put me on edge. I found out that Andy was murdered, a hit. And I’m gonna get that S.O.B. that killed him!” Digg clenched his fists and tried to get himself under control. He hadn’t been able to talk to anyone about this except Oliver and Felicity. But Oliver had been otherwise occupied and the search for Deadshot hadn’t been going anywhere, like it wasn’t important enough. He realized that he was still feeling hurt and angry that Oliver wasn’t as focused on helping him find H.I.V.E. and his brother’s murderer as he should be.

“Oh man! And you didn’t tell me this earlier? I would have come to help. You know that right, bro?” Sam felt horrible for Digg. His friend had been through hell and back and life still didn’t seem to be cutting him any breaks. “No matter. You’re here now. And I’ll help you in any way I can. But you need to tell me more.” He listened closely as Digg told him about A.R.G.U.S., Lyla's involvement with A.R.G.U.S. and Deadshot and what he knew about H.I.V.E. But there was something not right, something Digg was hiding from him and he didn’t like it. “You know, I get all this secret stuff man, but you ain’t telling me all of it, are you? There’s no way you could have done this alone. Who’s on your team and helping you?” 

Digg shook his head regretfully. “I would tell you more Sam, but I can’t.”

Sam narrowed his eyes at his friend. “You know about the shit that went down here a few weeks ago, right? With S.H.I.E.L.D., Cap. and all that crap, right? Well, I was involved in that too. Almost got my ass fried multiple times, but don’t let anyone know I admitted that. What I’m trying to say is that I’m tied up in some hot and heavy shit too. So you can tell me stuff man. I have some people I can ask for help. I ain’t gonna let you do this alone!”

Digg heaved a sigh. “Never one to keep outta trouble either, are you? Is one of those friends of yours, Captain America? Looks like he has quite a lot on his plate at the moment too. I dunno, Sam.” Digg was reluctant to bring Sam into his fight, but he was one of his best friends and someone he could trust implicitly. Maybe he could get Sam to help without letting him onto Oliver’s secret. Or Team Arrow, as Felicity called it. “Let me think about it. But Sam, I really do want you to know I appreciate it. More than you know.” Digg smiled a small smile as Sam nodded his acknowledgement.

*

Sam and Digg were just plating the grilled ribs, vegetables and corn and setting them on the small dining table when Steve and Felicity returned. “How much food did you guys buy? We have enough to feed an army here!” Sam laughed as he tried to figure out where to put everything. They decided to line all the dishes up buffet style on the kitchen counters instead and just grab food for their plates. Felicity opened a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon which was heavy enough for the ribs and might go decently with the roasted chicken, potatoes and rice they had bought. She eyed the beer that Sam and Digg were finishing up. “Um, it’s okay to mix wine and beer right?” she asked concerned.

“Yeah, not to worry,” Sam answered. “Digg and I won’t get hungover. And Cap here, he doesn’t ever seem to get drunk.” 

“I can’t really get drunk with the way my body processes alcohol.” Steve shrugged. 

Felicity let her eyes roam over Steve, feeling herself flush from some very inappropriate thoughts about how wonderfully muscular his body looked. You’re being really shallow here, she scolded herself. She raised her eyes to see Digg looking at her with his eyebrows quirked. She lifted her chin at him and Digg chuckled and tilted his head toward Steve. So… what’s going on? He seemed to ask silently. She just shook her head and smiled at him.

“So Felicity, I understand that you work with Digg. Tell me more about yourself since Digg here can’t get more than a sentence out at a time about anything, including you.” Sam said as they sat down to eat.

Felicity laughed at Digg’s expression. “Well, we both work at Queen Consolidated for Oliver Queen. I used to work in the IT Department before Oliver had the bright idea to make me his Executive Assistant.” She frowned a little at that and Steve caught the expression.

“You don’t like your new position?” He asked, wondering why Felicity called her boss by his first name. It seemed a little personal but perhaps it was the current acceptable professional etiquette.

“Felicity is an absolute genius when it comes to computer systems. She graduated head of her class and years earlier than she should have from MIT. I guess she left something she really loved behind when her position was changed.” Digg answered for her as Felicity turned to look at him with a surprised expression on her face. She had thought that Digg had agreed with Oliver’s decision to move her to his office in QC so that she could be closer to him in relation to their night job. Digg had never talked to Felicity about how she had felt, but she now realized that he had understood her sacrifice. It meant a lot to her and she sent him a grateful smile.

Sam had a feeling that Felicity was more than just an Executive Assistant or an IT expert. As sweet as she was, Digg didn’t have many friends that he trusted or respected. For Felicity to be that close to him, especially on a platonic level, she would have had to earn his respect in a completely different way. He decided to take a leap and dig a little, trusting his instincts. “So have you met Lyla, Digg’s ex-wife?” 

Dig turned his way sharply but before he could say anything, Felicity answered. “Yes, I have. And I hope that Digg and Lyla can have another opportunity to work things out,” she said warmly as she turned to Digg. She was taken aback by the look on his face. “What? Did I say something wrong?”

“Not as far as I’m concerned.” Sam answered. “So I guess you help Digg with a lot of his other problems then, right. Someone who graduated top of her class in MIT must be a serious genius and you could obviously put those talents to good use. I’m surprised you are not working for the government or even for someone like Tony Stark. It’s a wonder he hasn’t tried to persuade you to work for him yet.” 

“Actually, he has. But at the time, I had another plans as to where I wanted my career to head and I rejected his offer. I guess my career hasn’t exactly headed in the direction I was expecting.” Felicity answered carefully, trying to figure out why Digg looked exasperated. 

Steve was looking back and forth between Sam, Felicity and Digg, trying to follow the conversation. He didn’t know much about MIT, but from what Digg and Sam had said and the fact that Tony had wanted her to work for him, Felicity was obviously brilliant. He was surprised that he felt something akin to pride. He wondered after the line of questioning Sam was taking; not really an interrogation but more like a fact finding mission. He didn’t know John Diggle at all. But the fact he was Sam’s really good friend spoke volumes for his character. And there wasn’t any tension being created from this odd conversation. Before he could ask if anything was wrong, Felicity tried to change the subject. “Enough about me. What I really want to know is how you and Digg became close friends. I don’t know anything about you either.” 

Sam turned to Digg, sending him a silent question at which Digg nodded for him to go ahead. “I was in the Air Force, Pararescue 58th Squadron. During Digg’s second tour in Afghanistan, his unit was ambushed and trapped. His entire unit was killed with Digg the last man standing. Our PJ unit was sent in to extract them but I only managed to get Digg out. He was badly injured at the time. He found me later to thank me and we kept in touch. Not long after I became a test pilot for the EXO-7 which is a form of mechanical wings we used for flight extractions. We had tested them successfully on tens of missions before my wingman, Riley was shot down. I couldn’t handle things after that and quit. I came back home and decided to get help for PTSD. Both Digg and I got help and we worked through a lot of stuff together. I guess I lost my partner and gained a brother.”

Felicity looked at Digg then back at Sam, understanding written all over her face. Digg had told Sam about Andy, Lyla, H.I.V.E. and Deadshot. “I’m surprised that you haven’t been helping Digg with his problems then. But maybe you’ve been too busy helping Captain America?”

“Yeah, but that’s all gonna change. I’m sure I can find the time to help both.” Sam said seriously. Steve got the impression that he was going to be finding out what that meant really soon.

*

Felicity and Digg stayed a couple of hours more before heading back to their hotel. The four of them had chatted about less serious topics after that very intense conversation, and had stuffed themselves silly with good food and wine. They had laughed and had a great time together. She and Digg had left with the promise to be back two days later to continue the party at Sam’s and maybe watch a couple of movies. Once they had found out that Steve was in dire need of some education of all the entertainment he had missed over the last 70 years, it had become a competition of who could fill his head with information faster, much to Steve’s dismay. They were teasing of course, well at least he hoped they were. 

Steve had told her he would meet her at the lobby of the hotel she was staying at and they could go for an early lunch before heading to the Holocaust Memorial Museum. Sam and Digg had watched them say their goodbyes with amused smiles on their faces. Digg hadn’t said anything though, until now.

“Okay Felicity. Spill. What’s going on between you and Steve?” Digg asked with a smile as they waited for the elevator to go up to their rooms.

“Nothing is going on Digg,” Felicity answered innocently enough.

“Don’t give me that. I saw the sneaked glances and small smiles you both sent to each other all evening.” 

Digg was kidding, right? There was no way Steve was looking at her that much. He was just being friendly. “Sure… Yup. Nope!” She said with a pop.

“Felicity, even if there is. I’m happy for you. He seems like a good man. After all, he is Captain America.” Digg laughed and gave her a hug.

Felicity looked up at him, smiling softly. “You know I don’t like him just because he’s Captain America, right?”

“So you admit you like him.” Digg raised his eyebrows as Felicity blushed. 

“Yes, I do. But I don’t think it’ll go anywhere. We are only here for two weeks and then we are going back to Starling City. Plus, he doesn’t like me that way.” Felicity sighed.

“I’m certain that he likes you more than you think. Anyone could see it and they wouldn't have to look that hard either. Anyway, how would you know where this could lead to? Keep your options open. You deserve to find a good man who treats you well and loves you. You do deserve to be happy, Felicity.” Digg didn’t know if he was doing a good enough job of convincing Felicity, but he hoped that she would find some happiness, especially on this vacation and definitely after. 

“Thank you Digg.” Felicity kissed his cheek and bid him goodnight at her door. A little later, as she was drifting off to sleep, she realized that she had not thought of Oliver in all the time she had been in Steve’s company. Tomorrow will be good day, she thought to herself as she fell asleep, picturing Steve’s expressive eyes and gentle smile.


	5. Honest Emotions

 Notes:

* * *

Many thanks for the comments and kudos you are leaving. I love reading the comments and it makes this attempt at writing this story all the more worthwhile. This chapter is all Stelicity! I really just wanted to swoon over them. Please do let me know what you think. Happy reading!

* * *

 

Felicity was all over the place. She had gone through every outfit in her hotel closet and had tried every combination possible.  _I should have brought better outfits with me_ , she thought angrily, undecided on what to wear. _Okay, let’s just calm down here. This isn’t a date, or is it?_ She was about to pull her hair out and took a couple of deep breaths to calm herself. _Let’s just think rationally for a moment,_ she thought to herself. _We’re going to a museum, so I should go casual and wear comfortable shoes for walking. Right? Right! Okay, you can do this._ Glancing at her watch, she yelped in dismay. She would be meeting Steve in fifteen minutes. She quickly threw on a pair of skinny jeans, a sunny blue printed top and red flats, bypassing all the dresses she had laid out on the bed. Making sure that her bright pink lipstick was still intact, she grabbed her bag and headed out toward the elevators. Her hand to her stomach, she tried to clamp down on the nervous excitement she was feeling, taking a few more deep breaths to calm herself.

 

*

Steve tried not to pace nervously in the lobby while he waited for Felicity. He had spent the morning worrying about where to bring her for lunch and whether to bring his motorcycle. He didn’t know if she felt comfortable riding on one or not. He figured he could leave it parked near the hotel and they could catch a cab instead if the need arose. The subway would have been convenient but Steve wanted some time alone with Felicity. Subways were too public and on occasion, somebody would recognise him and he never liked the attention he attracted. He hoped that they would be left in peace today at the museum, for Felicity’s sake.

Steve wished he had asked Sam for some advice on what to do. He had hardly any experience dating and he really didn’t want to mess this date up. Although he wasn’t sure if Felicity knew it was a date since he hadn’t exactly specified that it was one. If she would see him again after today, then he would do it the right way and ask her properly to go on a date with him.

“Hi.” Felicity had come up behind him and he quickly turned around. He had been so lost in his own thoughts that he hadn’t been aware of his surroundings.

“Hi.” He smiled back taking her in. She looked like sunshine, with her sunny blonde hair curling softly around her face and lips painted a lovely pink. She hadn’t worn her glasses and her eyes shone a soft and luminous blue at him. Looking down at her, he noticed how incredibly tiny she was and he felt a surge of protectiveness.

They both stood there staring at each other before Felicity laughed and asked, “So where are we headed for lunch? I’m starving!”

“There’s this great restaurant not too far from here that I think you will like. I brought my motorcycle but I forgot to ask you if you are comfortable riding on one. If you aren’t, we can always take a cab.” Steve watched her carefully, ready to suggest something else if she looked even a little hesitant.

“I’ve only been on a motorcycle once a long time ago but I would love to ride one again. And I trust you.” The way she said that last part made his heart stutter and he suddenly had the urge to kiss her. Instead he smiled brilliantly at her, leading the way toward where he had parked. He helped her fasten the strap of her helmet, taking in how adorable she looked, her face tilted up to him and he couldn’t help glancing quickly at her lips. _You really have to stop this_ , he thought to himself as he started the engine and held the motorcycle steady for her to climb on. Twisting around to look at her, he took her hands and gently pulled her arms till they were wrapped around his waist. “Hold on tight,” he said before they set off.

 

*

Steve hadn’t been kidding when he had said the restaurant wasn’t really that far away and Felicity wished the trip had taken longer. She had enjoyed riding behind Steve, the fluid way they had moved through traffic with the wind whipping around her, all giving her a lovely sense of freedom. Holding on to him tightly, she could feel his warmth and the play of muscles under his shirt as he manoeuvered the power machine beneath them. He smelt heavenly, a strong musky earthy scent that made her giddy. She gave in to temptation and laid her cheek against his back for a few seconds, feeling safe. She wondered if Digg was right about him liking her. No, she wouldn’t think about this right now. She should just have fun, with no expectations and enjoy her time spent with him.

They were shown a table near the back of the restaurant which gave them a semblance of privacy. Although the restaurant was crowded, the place still felt spacious enough and the whole atmosphere friendly. “This place is really nice. Do you come here often?” Felicity asked.

“Yes, I found it a while ago and the food is quite good. I like the warmth of the place. Somehow it reminds me of another place I used to know.” He said wistfully.

“It’s been a lot hasn’t it. Getting used to a world so changed. So many unknowns and no one who can understand.” His eyes were so sad that Felicity wanted to comfort him.

A strange look passed over his face and he stared at her. “Thank you. You are the first person who has cared enough to say that.”

He had a way of looking at her with such intensity, it made her feel all warm inside. For once she didn’t know what to say and cursed her infamous babble for leaving her when she most needed it. She was saved by the waitress with their menus and took the next few minutes to collect herself while she decided on what to order. “So, Digg is meeting Sam today. I’m not sure where they are off to, Digg didn’t really say.” Felicity said, taking a sip of water. She was sure that they had taken off somewhere in search of information related to H.I.V.E. and Deadshot. But she didn’t know how much Steve knew and she wanted to be careful about what she said to him just in case. It was not her place to tell Digg’s secret.

“Sam mentioned they would be out all day. They’re probably just catching up on things.” Steve’s answer told Felicity that he wasn’t yet in the loop. Well, he didn’t seem like the type to be able to lie very well. _His eyes are too honest,_ she thought.  _I wonder why he doesn’t have someone already in his life. Or maybe he dates a lot. I'm sure he has plenty of women throwing themselves at him. He's too yummy!_

“Believe it or not, I’ve not been on a lot of dates. Before I joined the army, not many women were interested in being seen with me. And then I was in Europe fighting on the front and when I woke up, I found that there were different battles I had to fight. Dating was the last thing on my mind.” Steve said.

Felicity flushed red, mortified that she had blurted her thoughts out loud again. “I’m sorry. I tend to babble and as you have discovered, I also unknowingly say things that I’m thinking.”

Steve shook his head and took her hand in his. “Never apologise for being you. I like that you say what you are thinking. Almost everyone around me keeps secrets and I never know what is going through their minds, so your honesty is refreshing. And likewise, I hope that I can always be honest and upfront with you.” He looked down, seeming to struggle with something before looking back at her. “I knew someone before that was important to me but I never got to express myself in time. After waking up, I realized that the people I had known had lived their lifetimes, while time for me had stood still. So I no longer want to wait for tomorrow. I don’t waste time on things that are not important to me. And I don’t have a best girl yet because I hadn’t found someone I really wanted to go on a date with till yesterday.”

Felicity wasn’t sure exactly what she was feeling. She had gone from being happy that he didn’t find her lack of brain to mouth filter annoying, to feeling guilty about keeping secrets, to feeling sad for him, to…. _what had he said again?_ “Are you saying that we are on a date then?” She managed to get out.

“Yes, I really want this to be a date, if that’s okay with you?” Steve said hesitantly.

“Okay,” _You need to just breathe,_ Felicity told herself, “I would like that too.” Yes, she would like that very much, she thought as they both sat there grinning.

 

*

As parking was limited near the museum, Steve found a spot in a lot by the Tidal Basin a short distance away. The museum was crowded but not overly so, and Steve and Felicity slowly made their way around the exhibits.

Felicity had shared during lunch, why visiting the Holocaust Memorial Museum was so important to her. Not only was it a memorial to the millions of people who had lost their lives during the Holocaust, it was also an important part of history, regardless of whether one was Jewish or not. There were so many lessons to be learnt from the horrors of the past but also profoundly inspirational moments to be remembered too. But she worried how she would handle seeing such horrific reminders of suffering, pain and death, which was why she hadn’t wanted to go alone.

As they walked through the different floors and exhibits, they always stood close together, as if to draw strength and comfort from each other. For Steve, visiting the museum brought back painful vivid memories of the war, which seemed like just yesterday for him. There were so many atrocities that had happened and he wished he could have done more. He found himself reaching out to touch her, sometimes placing a hand on her shoulder, or at the small of her back. And in return, she would touch his arm to comfort him or to seek comfort.

On watching the filmed interviews of survivors sharing their tales of bravery and support of each other, Felicity reached out to hold Steve’s hand as she was overcome with emotion. And as they sat side by side in the Hall of Remembrance, quiet and somber, gazing at the eternal flame in the centre of the room, he reached for her hand as they reflected on all they had seen, felt and learnt.

 

*

Instead of going back to where Steve had parked, they decided to take a walk around the Tidal Basin, still emotional from their visit to the museum. Steve found a spot by the water’s edge where they could sit, partially hidden by the branches of a weeping Japanese cherry tree. Turning toward Felicity, his expression concerned, he asked, “Are you okay?”

“I should be the one asking you that question,” she gently smiled up at him as she laid her hand on his arm. “It’s a lot for you to take in, isn’t it? For you, the horrors of this war wouldn’t seem that long ago.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.” He couldn’t believe how amazing she was. He hadn’t met anyone like her before. How many people had bothered to care how he felt after he had awoken after 70 years of being asleep, the horrors of the war still fresh in his mind. Everything else he had ever known, lost and forgotten leaving him to struggle desperately to fit into this new world. But she had cared, seeing the flesh and blood Steve Rogers, a man who could hurt and feel, and not the invincible Captain America.

Steve couldn’t help how he was drawn toward Felicity. She was kind and compassionate and yet she possessed a fierceness and inner strength. It was like she had this light which surrounded her that he couldn’t look away from and he couldn’t seem to help himself. He lifted his hand and gently touched her cheek, caressing it. His heart clenched as she gazed up at him, her eyes full of emotion. He looked down at her soft lips and before he knew what he was doing, he leaned over and softly brushed his lips against hers.

When she tilted her head to kiss him back, he nipped at her lower lip till she opened her mouth and he slowly deepened the kiss. He pulled her to him, their tongues tangling and Felicity made a small sound as she lifted her hands to his neck to pull him closer. They eventually pulled apart, their foreheads pressed together, panting to catch their breath. “Wow,” Felicity said softly. He chuckled, kissing her sweetly on the lips again before tucking her head under his chin and pulling her close into his embrace.

They stayed sitting that way for a while more before Felicity shifted to look up at him. “What are we doing?” she asked, unsure.

“I don’t know, but I like this. I really like you, Felicity. I didn’t expect for this to happen but I’m glad that it did.” He answered honestly.

“I like you too.” She said shyly as she buried her head in his shoulder. “But I’m scared. I leave to go home in less than two weeks. How…?”

Steve didn’t let her finish. “Shh…let’s just see what happens. We’ll find a way. Trust me, please.” He kissed the top of head, breathing in her sweet scent and held her close. He worried about how he was going to make this work. There was so much uncertainty in his life at the moment, he needed to find Bucky and Felicity lived far away in another city. The one thing he was certain of was that she had touched his heart and he wasn’t about to lose her when he had just found her. No, he wasn’t going to be able to let her go anytime soon.


	6. What is it that I'm Feeling?

Notes:

* * *

I'm loving this journey I'm taking with Steve and Felicity and your lovely comments, kudos and endless support remains my inspiration.  I hope I'm doing their story justice. Felicity has to consider a few things in this chapter, but not to worry... there is always a reason.

* * *

 

They had stayed at the Tidal Basin gazing at the ripples in the water, the swans gliding by and the Jefferson Memorial in the distance for quite a while. Felicity thought she was in heaven, snuggled up to Steve breathing in his musky scent, till the moment was ruined by the loud grumbling of her stomach. “Hungry?” he asked chuckling and she could feel his chest vibrating under her cheek from laughter.

“Hmm, I need something in me, stat.,” she said and feeling him freeze, she looked up at him seeing him flush red, realizing what she had just said. “I mean, I need to get food in me. To eat. Through my mouth. Not anything else. Not that whatever else wouldn’t be good too. But you didn’t need to hear that. Oh no! I need to stop, in 3.2.1.” Felicity decided that hiding her face in his shoulder was the right thing to do.

Steve gently pulled away from her and tipped her chin till she looked up at him. “Hey, I know what you meant. You just surprised me. I’m just not used to talking freely about intimacy, that’s all. But I don’t want you to feel like you can’t express yourself either, nor do I want you to stop speaking your mind. Even if it has to be blurted out.

Felicity stared at him for a few seconds before throwing her arms around him and kissing him. This man was going to be the death of her, she thought as he licked her bottom lip till she opened up for him. Desire sparked through her and she shuddered as he kissed her, tongues clashing, the taste of him everywhere. He groaned before pulling away, his thumb brushing her lip, eyes darkened to a deep blue. “We need to get out of here and get you something to eat. For your tummy,” he clarified. He pulled her to her feet as he stood himself. Winding his fingers through hers, he held her hand, refusing to let go till they reached where he had parked his motorcycle.

Felicity knew she needed to have a serious talk with Steve about her work with the Arrow and the life she led at home. She worried about it a little, not knowing how she should bring up the subject. She wanted to be honest with him, no secrets, but what could she say without betraying Oliver’s and the team’s trust? When Barry had discovered that Oliver was the Arrow, Oliver had been livid even though Barry had saved his life. She wasn’t sure what Oliver’s reaction would be if she told Steve about the double life she led. Yet, she didn’t want to keep any secrets from Steve, regardless of where this ‘relationship’ was heading. She needed to talk to Digg about it and ask his advice and it needed to be done soon. _Later_ , she thought to herself as she climbed back on his motorcycle and snuggled against his back. She hoped that she would find a way to work this all out.

 

*

Steve had dropped her off at the hotel wanting to walk her all the way to her room door but no further. She had laughed at how gentlemanly he was and he had given her a passionate kiss before gruffly bidding her goodbye, saying he would see her the next day.

She had called Digg right after Steve had left, asking if he was available to chat. She now found herself in his room, sitting on one of the beds, with him patiently waiting for her to start talking.

“Okay, what’s wrong?” Digg sighed when Felicity still hadn’t said anything. “Did something happen today? You didn’t enjoy your time out with Steve?”

“No, I loved my time out with Steve. We had a great time together and you were right, he does like me.” Felicity blushed a little, remembering their kisses.

Digg raised an eyebrow. “Oh? And how would you know that?”

“He told me so and we, uh, kissed a little, or maybe more than just a little.” Felicity was having a little trouble getting it out.

“Hah! Finally, you found a great guy who’s smart enough to know what’s right in front of him.” Digg smiled. “So is that the problem then? Because he’s here and we are leaving soon?”

“Yes and no.” Felicity sighed. “Steve said we would make it work, even after we go back to Starling. It’s just that Steve is so honest and I want to put in an equal amount of effort to make it work with him too. I don’t want to keep secrets from him.”

“So you want to tell him about the team and the work you do for us?” Digg nodded, understanding. “I know you worry about Oliver being upset, but your happiness is important too, Felicity. And we are talking about a man who is Captain America. He knows better than anyone else what kind of work you might be doing and how to keep secrets. I’m not saying he will accept it, but at least, he can decide what he wants to do if you tell him before we leave. You can’t hide this from him forever and neither should you, if you want things between the two of you to work out. I’ll be honest, I talked to Sam about Andy and about my search for Deadshot and H.I.V.E.”

“I kinda figured from the conversation we had yesterday,” Felicity smiled remembering Sam’s not so subtle prodding. “Did you tell him about the team?”

Digg shook his head. “Not yet but I’m thinking about it. We went out today to try to see if any of his sources could lead us to any new information. But for him to help more, he needs to know everything and that means telling him about the team. I trust him with my life and I think I can trust that Steve would do the same for you. But you are right, we need to think about Oliver, Sara, Lyla and everyone else involved, including Roy, regardless if they are part of Team Arrow or not. But I think there is something else bothering you, isn’t there?”

Digg knew her way too well, Felicity thought. “Digg, you know how I felt about Oliver, right?” Digg nodded but didn’t say anything, waiting for her to continue. “I had feelings for Oliver for such a long time and I was pretty hurt from the way he had been treating me right before we came here. Seeing him with Sara hurt, a lot! So it’s strange to me that I like Steve this much this soon. I’ve never believed that you could fall for someone that fast. I’m worried that it’s some kind of reaction to seeing Oliver with Sara. I don’t want to mess any of this up, you know?” She started tearing up at the thought of hurting Steve.

“Woah there.” Digg got up and sat down beside Felicity, putting his arm around her. “Let me ask you this. Do you think of Oliver at all when you are with Steve?” Felicity shook her head. “Do you feel guilty being with Steve?” Another shake of the head. “Felicity, I know you well enough to know that you have a good head on your shoulders and wonderful loving heart. Even, if you had feelings for Oliver, and the key word here is ‘had’, I’m certain that whatever you are feeling for Steve is true because there is no way in hell you could two-time your feelings. Your conscience would betray you and you would know it. You’re a genius, remember? There’s no way someone as smart as you wouldn’t know the feelings of guilt and doubt if it popped up and whacked you on the head. So ask yourself. Do you truly have any doubts about your feelings for Steve and the way you feel when you are with him or are you just scared?”

Felicity smiled up at Digg and gave him a huge hug. “No, you’re right. I really do like Steve a lot and it scares me! I came to terms with the fact that Oliver has nothing but platonic feelings toward me a long time ago. But he’s still one of my closest friends and his ignoring me does hurt. I think I just needed to talk it out and for you to smack some sense into me. Well, not smack really… you might hurt me with those huge muscles of yours. Definitely would be an ‘ouch’ moment.”

Digg laughed and hugged her back. “Anytime without the ‘ouch’! Okay, you think about what I said and try to get some beauty sleep. I don’t want you yawning through our movie marathon tomorrow.” He didn’t think that Oliver’s feelings were just platonic, but Felicity deserved to find someone who would love and care for her. Who better than Steve Rogers. And if Oliver lost out, it was his own fault.

“Yes, Mr Diggle, sir!” Felicity mock saluted before going back to her room, a smile back on her face. She had decided that she would talk to Steve tomorrow and maybe Digg would confide in him too. She hoped it would all turn out well.

 

*

It turned out that it was pretty hard to find an opportunity to have a serious talk with Steve the next day. When Digg and Felicity arrived at Sam’s doorstep, Sam had taken one look at Steve and her and had burst out laughing, leaving Steve red-faced by the door. Grabbing Felicity, Sam had dragged her into the living room and plopped her down on the couch, yelling “Finally!”

Steve followed them in, glaring at Sam, while he sat himself down next to Felicity, kissing her lightly. “Hey you,” he said softly in greeting.

“Hey to you too,” she gave him a quick kiss back.

“Oh God! Are we going to have to sit here all day watching you both be all lovey-dovey?” Sam teased. “Not that I’d mind really, it might be better than Star Trek. More sparks, fireworks, lasers. We could even try a little warp speed here. Ow!” Sam yelled as Digg punched his arm.

“Be nice!” Digg warned as he glanced toward the couple sitting together on the couch. Digg winked at Felicity and sternly looked at Steve. “Just so you know, she’s one of my best friends and like a sister to me. I don’t think I have to say more.”

“You will never have anything to worry about.” Steve said seriously, understanding what Digg had meant to say. Digg gave a sharp nod back and went to help Sam set up.

“I’m sorry.” Felicity looked at Steve apologetically.

Steve put his arm around her and pulled her to him. “That you have people around you that love and care for you is wonderful! I would never get upset with you because of that. And I meant it when I said that he wouldn’t have anything to worry about. I don’t want you to either.”

If they hadn’t been sitting near enough for Digg and Sam to see them, she would have pushed Steve down on the couch and had her wicked way with him, she thought to herself. But she would just have to settle with a quick kiss and lots of snuggling. Feeling his chest start to rumble, she wondered if she had said all of that out loud. Not that it really mattered.

 

*

They spent the next few hours watching the first Star Trek movie before stopping for some lunch. Sam and Digg had decided that burgers and fries were on the lunch menu and had left the new lovebirds alone for some private time.

Steve had pulled Felicity to him the moment the guys had left, kissing her till her head spun. Coming up for air, she had in turn kissed her way down his neck which made him groan and grab for her. “Felicity, we have to slow down. They’ll be back soon.” Steve needed to regain some control. “Okay,” Felicity gasped as she found his mouth again, trying to think through a haze of desire. She felt like she was on fire. Somehow, they had moved till she was sitting on his lap, almost straddling him. Okay, they could carry on this way for a few minutes more right? Digg and Sam would know to take their time.

“I hope that when I get old, I’ll be able to find a nurse to take as good care of me as ole Capsicle here.” A strange voice said from behind them.

Felicity froze and Steve sighed, lifting Felicity off his lap and pulling her protectively to his side. Glaring at the man standing in the doorway to the living room, he asked. “What are you doing here?”

“Well, I’m waiting to be introduced to this lady that finally got an old man’s heart beating again. No heart attacks allowed though.” He grinned cheekily.

Smiling, Felicity got off the couch and held out her hand to the man she had seen in pictures many times before. “Felicity Smoak. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

In response, he quirked an eyebrow in recognition of her name and held her hand without letting go. “Tony Stark. And it’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”


	7. I Need You to Know

Note:

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Thank you everyone for the amazing response to the last chapter! I had so many absolutely lovely comments. I guess Tony Stark is a welcome addition then. So here's another chapter to tide you over to the next update. Enjoy!

* * *

 

“What is that supposed to mean, Stark?” Steve stood up and went to stand beside Felicity.

“Which part? I said a lot.” Stark smirked back.

“The ‘finally’ part. What did you mean?” Steve was having none of it.

“Well, you’ve been quite the busy man and the world has kind of noticed.” Stark said innocently.

Felicity frowned and went to grab her tablet, typing in a quick search. Her eyes went wide and she hesitantly showed what was on her tablet to Steve. There were pictures of them everywhere; at the restaurant from across the room, at the museum close together and at the Tidal Basin, sitting beside the water under the tree, heads together. The photos were probably taken from numerous cellphones and cameras. ‘Who is the mystery blonde who has captured the Captain’s heart?’ the headlines read on different sites.

Steve was upset. He had hoped that they would have had more time to get to know each other before they were hounded by people curious about their relationship. And Felicity didn’t need to have everyone harassing her.

“How do you know my name, then?” Felicity asked Tony. It didn’t seem like anyone knew who she was yet. She hadn’t thought to program any alerts related to her and Steve since their relationship was still so new. Now she wished she had set some up, then at least she wouldn’t have been so surprised seeing photos of her and Steve plastered everywhere.

“A not so simple facial recognition program. I actually track supposedly smart people who turn down a job offer to work with a genius like me. I want to capture the moment when they finally realize that I was always the better option. You are much prettier in person compared to your photo on file though. Maybe it’s the flushed cheeks that give you some colour.” Tony said with a straight face.

Felicity noticed Steve getting agitated and placed a hand on his arm, letting him know it was okay. It was at that moment that Sam and Digg arrived home.

“Tony Stark. What are you doing here?” Sam asked, dumping the bags of food on the coffee table.

“I feel like I’ve heard that question before. There must be an echo.” Tony looked around while Sam just stood looking at him with narrowed eyes.

“Um, I guess Steve and I were photographed without our knowledge yesterday and it’s kind of all over the internet.” Felicity tried to explain.

Steve was furious at himself. How could he not have noticed anyone taking photos of the both of them. Was he that unaware of his surroundings? What was wrong with him? Felicity seemed to know what he was thinking and turned to him. “Steve, you couldn’t have known that people were taking photos of us. There were cellphones everyone in the museum. Please don’t blame yourself because it’s not your fault.”

“Yes, but I should have been more aware. How am I going to protect you if I don’t even know what’s going on around us?” Steve ground out.

“You can’t protect me from everything and this would have come out sooner or later, right?” She tried to soothe him.

“You can always bubble wrap her.” Tony supplied helpfully.

At that, Felicity burst out laughing, holding on to her sides when she couldn’t stop. “This is too much,” she wheezed while everyone but Tony looked at her worriedly.

“Felicity.” Digg didn’t need to say anything more. His one word spoke volumes.

“I’m okay.” She hiccupped and wiped the tears from her eyes. “Well I can’t say my life is boring, now can I?”

Steve looked at her with a totally confused expression. “You’re okay? With all of this?” He was worried that she actually wasn’t.

“Steve, I’ve known that you are Captain America from the moment I was properly introduced to you. So it would have been naïve of me to think that by agreeing to go out with you, that I would remain hidden. Not that I want what we do on display everywhere. But I do have some experience being the subject of unnecessary gossip and people making up stories about me. I guess I just feel better about it this time because some of it may actually be true.” Felicity actually did feel a little better but Steve still looked unconvinced and confused.

“Are we talking about the magic disappearing act or Robin Hood here?” Tony asked sarcastically.

Steve and Sam didn’t miss how Digg and Felicity turned sharply toward Tony. “What are you talking about?” Sam asked.

Tony decided to humor them. “Oliver Queen, billionaire playboy who disappeared for five years, back from the dead, very much alive but with a new personality. Upon his return, coincidentally a new vigilante, a green archer appears in Starling City, constantly trying to clear up something of a mess. Then we have the trusty sidekicks. The bodyguard by day who is a partner by night, sometimes seen running around without a mask. And then there’s the genius behind the computers, assistant by day, their kickass mama bear at night.” He turned to Felicity and said, “I still want to steal you for myself by the way.” Turning back to increasingly stoney faces, he continued. “I’m still trying to confirm who the sexy songbird is but I’ll bet you ten bucks that I’ve already guessed that correctly. I’m sure I’m forgetting a few members of the team, but so far… am I right?”

The room was deadly silent. Felicity slowly turned to look at Steve who looked like he had swallowed something very nasty. “Is what he’s saying true?” He asked very quietly.

“Yes.” Felicity swallowed past a lump building in her throat. “I was going to tell you today. I didn’t want to lie to you about it.” She begged him with her eyes to believe her. “Steve, please” she cried out as he walked by her into his room and closed the door. She felt tears well up, her chest hurting.

Sam turned to Digg and asked. “Is this what you were going to tell me when you were ready?” When Digg nodded, he sighed and clapped his buddy on the back. I can understand why you hesitated but you should have told me, man. I know that you would never get mixed up in anything that doesn’t have the end goal of helping someone or doing good. So whoever you are both helping, I will not judge you. I may even help you.” He smiled at Felicity and Digg and then turned toward Steve’s closed door. “I think I need to go check on my buddy in there.”

“Is it okay if I go with you to talk to him?” Digg asked. “There are some things he needs to know Sam. To be fair to both him and Felicity.” Sam hesitated for a moment before nodding and moving toward Steve’s room. Digg squeezed Felicity’s hand to reassure her. “Don’t worry. I’ll talk to him and then I’m sure you will both want to talk things over. I’ll be right back,” he said before entering Steve’s room with Sam, closing the door behind him.

Felicity felt like she couldn’t breathe. What if Steve didn’t believe her? What if he couldn’t accept what she did? If she had told him today herself, it might have played out better than someone else telling him. She whirled in anger and stormed toward Tony Stark. “How dare you!” She yelled at him.

“How dare I? Oh yes…how dare I?” Tony raised his eyebrows at her mockingly.

“What are you? A parrot?” Felicity was furious.

“No my dear. I am his teammate. Someone he fought alongside with. Argued with. I even tried to convince him to play poker but that’s a work in progress. In the end, he is also my friend. Not that he will ever admit to feeling that way about me.” Tony responded with a flourish.

Felicity looked at Tony, anger deflating and found a chair to sit on. “You should have let me tell him.” She looked at Tony, afraid that her relationship with Steve was over before it had really even started.

“I know, but I couldn’t take the chance that you wouldn’t. Cap has been lied to, betrayed and basically trodden on the last few weeks, and I was coming here to bring him home with me. Finding out that you were here with him was a surprise and I didn’t know what to expect from you. But, if he cares for you enough, he will understand.” Tony said, serious all of a sudden before the smirk was back on his face again. “And, of course, when I did my research and found out who the lucky winner of the old man was… I just had to come tell you to ditch Hawkeye’s pale imitation and come work for the A-Team. And I don’t mean the one with Mr. T in it.”

Felicity sat staring at Tony, thinking about what he had said. Steve had been betrayed by the people he worked with and his life turned upside down once again. _He must feel like I betrayed and lied to him._ She felt the tears start to run down her face, hurting for him.

 

*

Steve sat quietly looking at Sam and Digg, trying to calm himself a little so he could listen to what they had to say. He regretted walking out on Felicity, but he had needed a moment to himself before he lost it. That Digg was sitting in front of him told him that he should at least listen and then talk to her. Hopefully calmly.

Sam thought it better that Digg start the conversation since he probably knew better what Felicity might be thinking. “Firstly, I want you to know that she was telling you the truth when she said she wanted to tell you about the team today. At least, I know she was going to tell you her part in the team.” Digg checked to see that Steve was listening before continuing. “She cares for you, and she didn’t want for there to be any lies or secrets between the both of you. You need to know that this is something that is very difficult for her to do, as she feels she’s betraying the team. And, it’s not exactly her secret to tell. There was once, to save the Arrow’s life, she told his secret and brought someone else in to help and was blamed for it.”

When Steve didn’t stop him, Digg carried on quietly. “I want you to know that the Arrow tries to help the people of Starling City. He goes after the criminals the police have been unable to catch or who buy the authorities out and therefore get off scot free. Felicity does the background research and compiles the data so that we have the evidence to put them away behind bars. And she runs our comms to make sure we’re safe.”

“So she doesn’t go out in the field then?” Steve asked. He needed to know that she was safe.

Digg hesitated but he knew that it would be better to be honest with Steve. “Usually she doesn’t but there have been a couple of occasions that she helped us out in the field.” He hesitated again and Steve picked up on it.

“What else?” Steve asked.

“There have been a couple of times that she has been in dangerous situations. I have to at least admit that. She was the one that managed to defuse one of the devices that caused the earthquakes in Starling not too long ago. If not for her, many more people would have died that day.” Digg looked toward Steve then Sam, unsure if he wanted to say more.

Steve sat silently, his eyes closed, feeling something akin to dread. Felicity had been placed in danger before, almost losing her life. But he recognized that she had done it selflessly, the protection of others more important than saving herself. He himself understood the need to protect those in need. And it would be hypocritical of him to demand that she give up what she did to stay safe when he was constantly putting his own life at risk to do exactly the same thing. True, he had been given enhanced abilities, but that did not make her any less a hero. And she had accepted him knowing that he was in constant danger and at risk of being hurt. He sighed, making up his mind. “I know that you both have more to tell me, but could this wait a while till I talk to Felicity first? Please.”

Digg and Sam nodded. “I’ll go get her for you.” Sam said as they both left the room.

Steve rubbed his brow, suddenly exhausted. He looked up when he heard her knock and she came in, closing the door behind her. He got up and walked toward her, pulling her into his arms but not before he noticed her silent tears.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.” She said softly.

He held her close, stroking her hair. “Hush. Don’t cry. I’m not angry with you. It’s alright.” He soothed. With her face buried in his shoulder, he could feel the wetness of her tears through his shirt. Pulling slightly away from her, he removed her glasses setting them aside. He cupped her cheek and brushed her tears away, upset with himself that he had caused her hurt. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I should have stayed and listened to what you had to say. I’m so sorry.”

She looked up at him, her eyes still watery. “You’re not mad at me?” she asked in disbelief.

He brushed a lock of hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ear. Even after crying, she was so incredibly beautiful, it made his heart hurt. “No, I’m more angry with myself for upsetting you so much.” He kissed her gently and pulled her to sit beside him on his bed, holding her close. “I heard what Digg had to say and I understand that you wanted to talk to me about it today.” He looked at her questioningly and when she nodded, he continued. “He told me about the work that the vigilante and your team does.”

“I call it Team Arrow.” Felicity said with a small smile.

“Okay, Team Arrow.” Steve agreed. “I’m not sure how I feel about what you do and that’s because I will always worry about you being safe.” When Felicity tried to interrupt, he put his finger to her lips. “I will always want you safe. But I know I can’t be by you side all the time so I’m going to have to trust your team to protect you. And I want you to try to keep yourself safe and not go running into dangerous situations if you can. Can you do that for me?”

“I’ll try my best,” Felicity whispered, “but there will be times that I will need to help my team in the field. I can’t just sit by when I can do something.”

“Alright, I guess I can’t ask that of you.” Steve said with a sigh. “Just like I know you will never ask that of me. You’ve accepted that I will have to place myself in dangerous situations all the time. But I know you will worry. It’s the same for me, sweetheart.”

Felicity leaned away from him and trailed her fingers down his face before placing her palm on his cheek. She didn’t want to even think about anything happening to him.

“Just please promise me from now on that you’ll tell me everything you can and I’ll do the same. I know that there may be some things that you are unable to tell me and I’ll respect it. And I promise I won’t walk away from you like that again. I’m sorry I did that. Will you forgive me? Are we okay?” Steve really wanted her reassurance that he hadn’t done any lasting damage.

“We’re more than okay.” Felicity told him without hesitation. _Finally, someone who will talk to me about how they feel and not just keep silent and walk away_ , she thought to herself. _How did I get this lucky?_

Steve smiled with relief, his eyes sliding over her face, his way of memorizing it. He suddenly needed to be closer to her. Sliding his hand into her hair, he kissed her tenderly before exploring her lips with his tongue, tasting her tears and the sweetness of her mouth. Desire hit him fast and he moved his hand to her hip, pulling her softness closer to him. She whimpered as he explored the soft curve of her neck before moving back up to her ear. She moved her hands to his hair, trying to pull him even closer to her as he captured her lips again, plundering her sweetness with his tongue. He heard a distant knock on the door, and Tony call out something inane. Sighing at the interruption, he peppered kisses on her lips before hugging her close, her nose buried in his neck.

“I can feel your heart beating really fast,” Felicity laughed as she wrapped her arms tightly around him.

“That’s all your fault.” He answered, struggling to gain control of himself. “I think we need to go out and continue the talk with the guys. Are you okay with that?” He asked, wanting to know if she needed another minute.

“Yes, I’m fine.” She breathed in his scent and kissed his neck. _That’s because I have you_ , she thought to herself as she stood and placed her hand in his.


	8. So What Have You Got Planned?

Notes:

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Hello again! I can’t begin to repeat how much everyone’s support means to me. This story has taken on an incredible life of its own. And your comments, kudos and love have played an important part in keeping it so very much alive. For everyone who is wondering where Oliver is, please know that he is important to Felicity and therefore crucial to this story. You will see him soon, please be patient with me. I hope you all enjoy this next chapter. I love Felicity here. I hope you will to. Enjoy!

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Steve and Felicity walked back into the living room to find Tony and Digg in some kind of standoff. “What’s going on?” Steve asked.

“I was trying to get The Diggle here to spill on QC gossip, like how smoking has Smoak been? Like there’s no smoke without a Queen fire.” Tony waved his hands around. “I need to check out who my friends are dating.”

When Steve made to step forward, Felicity put up a hand to stop him. “Let’s clear this up once and for all. I am not and never have been in any kind of relationship other than a platonic one with Oliver. He is my boss and my friend. We are close, as friends. And that’s it!” she said emphatically.

Tony held up his phone with a picture of Oliver on it, his brows raised.

Felicity pointed a finger at him, feeling her loud voice coming on before Steve stepped in. He glanced at the photograph before looking at Tony. “You need to stop.” he warned.

“Fine, I’m just looking after the old man’s heart.” Tony said, looking a little hurt.

Felicity understood. Tony Stark pretended he didn’t care but she wouldn’t call his bluff. She would have to have a good talk with Steve later though. There were things that needed to be said so that he wouldn’t have any doubts. “So, you told me earlier that you had come to talk to Steve about something other than me.” She prompted Tony.

Tony nodded. “Yup. But I see you have lunch and I’m starving.” He reached for a bag and popped a fry in his mouth. “Food first.”

Sam rolled his eyes and started unpacking the burgers and fries. “You’re lucky we bought extras.” he told Tony who had decided to make himself right at home.

 

*

Steve waited till everyone had finished eating before asking Tony the reason he had come. Felicity sat beside him and he held her hand, feeling her reassuring presence.

“I’m trying to reassemble The Avengers,” Tony said. “I wanted to know if you would come back to Stark Tower with me. Bruce is already staying there, working on stuff.” He waved his hands around and Steve didn’t even want to know what ‘Stuff’ meant. "Barton comes and goes, and where Barton is, Natasha will eventually appear. The blond Viking, being as unpredictable as he is will turn up whenever… and that leaves you. Since S.H.I.E.L.D. is no more, I thought you might want to come hang out. You’ll have Maria Hill to be robotic with. She’s joined our club.” Tony looked at Felicity. “Now if I can only persuade Smoakie here to be brave enough to battle wits and brain matter with me, it will be the perfect combination.”

Steve considered Tony’s offer. After all, what was the point of staying in D.C. now that S.H.I.E.L.D. no longer existed. However, he had other things he wanted to think about first. He needed to consider where this was heading with Felicity, he had to at least search for Bucky, and he guessed that something was cooking with Sam and Digg that needed to be looked at. He wanted to know what was going on as he was sure it involved Felicity. He turned to Digg first, hoping that John Diggle would put some faith in him. “I need all cards out on the table today so that I can figure out what I need to do in the near future. And therefore I need to know things that may involve Felicity.” He hoped Digg had understood his silent message.

Digg nodded in understanding and looked at Tony for a moment before making up his mind. He was brief in his description. His brother Andy had been murdered, targeted by a criminal organization H.I.V.E. which had hired Deadshot to carry out the hit. His ex-wife, Lyla was an employee of A.R.G.U.S., her kidnapping was the reason he found out about the hit. And he was currently searching for Deadshot and H.I.V.E. with his team. Sam had just come on board.

“We haven’t managed to find anything much yet,” Felicity added.

“And not to worry, I’m still helping you search for your friend Bucky.” Sam said turning toward Steve.

“I help you with that too,” Felicity said, squeezing Steve’s hand. “I’m good at tracking people down. One of my many talents.”

Steve shook his head. “No, it’s too dangerous. HYDRA could trace it back to you.” He had every intention of keeping Felicity away from HYDRA. He had no idea what they might do to her if they found out about her.

“Cap, you do realize that you have two geniuses in this room right? I’ll give you three guesses to figure out who they are.” Tony raised one hand and pointed a finger at himself. “There’s also the other guy when he’s not playing Go Green. I heard he’s quite the smart one. You think between three brilliant minds and the excellent Jarvis, we can’t snoop up some information?”

Felicity hadn’t said much but she finally spoke up. “I have always loved the team dynamic. I can help you, Steve. And if Tony can help both you and Digg, that’s a plus in my book. Yes, a grade A plus. With a gold star! Or you can think of it as A for Avenger. Not that I would be part of that A. Nope!”

“I like her! She has a hard time rhyming but we can work on it.” Tony flashed a toothy grin Felicity’s way.

Steve needed time to think this through instead of being railroaded into things. “Can I have some time to think about all of this?” He leaned over and kissed Felicity on the cheek, whispering to her, “I do want to talk about this with you first, okay?” He relaxed when she smiled and nodded yes. “Will you be around?” he asked Tony.

“Yup. You know where to find me.” Tony got up to leave. “And use that phone I gave you. You can always ask for lessons from your girlfriend over here if you’ve had trouble turning it on.” As he left, he smiled at the sight of Felicity holding out her hand, wanting to see what new Stark tech Steve had been hiding from her.

 

*

Sam and Digg decided to head out to the VA for the afternoon, wanting to give Steve and Felicity some space to sort things out. They were all to meet that night to go to a Jazz and Blues Club together. Sam had managed to get tickets for a show and they had an excellent Cajun and Creole menu available as an added bonus. As Sam has so succinctly put it, “I want your asses there on time regardless of the amount of hanky-panky.” Both Steve and Felicity had blushed at that, which set Sam laughing as he and Digg left.

Felicity tugged at Steve till he sat down on the couch next to her. He looked so tired and her heart went out to him. Over the past two days, she had gone back and researched all she could on him from the last month or so. Sam had mentioned some things in passing about Steve and she had wanted to know what had happened recently. She would ask Steve about them herself too, but she wanted to have an idea of what topics he might find more painful.

“Hey you,” she pulled at his shirt till he leaned in and kissed him gently, running her tongue over his bottom lip, sipping from him. She loved how he responded immediately, his tongue touching hers, kissing her back while gathering her closer. She felt desire pooling which she tamped down immediately, knowing that they needed to talk first. She pulled back gently and rubbed noses with him to which he smiled. “We need to be all talk and no action right now Mister,” she teased.

“I wasn’t the one who started the action though,” he teased back before he became more serious.

“Steve, I’m going to seriously consider Stark’s offer,” she began, taking his hand in hers.

“Which part?” Steve asked, starting to worry.

“All of it.” Before Steve could interrupt, she squeezed his hand, her request for him to hear her out. “I have multiple reasons why I am considering it. It would help Digg get the answers he has been searching for and he needs some closure. He’s been hurting for too long and I need to be able to do something for him. I haven’t had much success doing this alone so maybe with everyone else’s help, including you and Sam, we may find more leads and bring Deadshot and H.I.V.E. to justice.”

“I also want to be able to help you in your search for Bucky. He’s obviously important to you although you haven’t told me why yet. I understand that it’s dangerous, which is why I think searching for him with the help of your team is a safer option for everyone involved, me included.” Steve tried to interrupt again but when Felicity pursed her lips, he decided to hold his thoughts till she was finished.

“Thank you.” She smiled at him before continuing. “A big part of this is for me too. When I started at Queen Consolidated, I had big plans for where I wanted to be in my career in the next five to ten years. But those plans have been sacrificed for the work I needed to do for Team Arrow. It’s true that Stark offered me a job when I first graduated and had I joined Stark Industries, my life may have gone down a different path. I believe in the work I do for the Team, but some things have changed recently that have made me consider my place among them. I do believe that if they didn’t have me there, they could still get by, although maybe not as well,” she added cheekily.

“I think though, it’s time for me to consider my own future and my happiness for once. I’ve given up so much the last two years, nothing that I regret and totally worth it. But now I’ve met you.”

Felicity stopped for a moment to just look at Steve. Even though they had just met and were taking the first baby steps in their relationship, he had come to mean so much more to her than she could have thought possible. “I want to find a way to stay with you and explore us. I have no idea whether we will work out or not, but I want to give it my all. We both deserve that. And we can’t do that by being that far away from each other. I have a feeling that you will go to New York, even if it’s to be near your own team. You need to start making a home for yourself again and I want to be near you when you do. That is if you want me there.”

Steve sat there speechless for a moment staring at her, his chest feeling like it was going to explode. Before she could say anything else, he lifted her off the couch and onto his lap, his mouth blindly seeking hers. And when their lips touched, he tried to express everything he was feeling in the way he kissed her. Happiness, gratitude, tenderness, protectiveness and an overwhelming feeling of love. Yes, he knew he was falling for her and falling hard. She was his angel, someone finally sent just for him.

When they finally were able to tear themselves apart, Felicity asked laughingly, “So I guess that’s an okay?”

“That’s a definite okay. It’s more like I’m never going to let you go.” Steve said before pausing, worried. “Was that too much?”

“No. I like that you see us together long term and working on us.” Felicity was certain she was doing the right thing. “But before all of this can happen, I do need to go back to Starling and work some stuff out. I can’t just leave Oliver and the team hanging.”

Steve nodded his understanding. But he needed an answer to a question he had. “Felicity, I know you said that nothing is happening between Oliver and you, and I believe you. But, he’s obviously important to you even as a friend. Are you sure you are okay with leaving him and Digg, along with the rest of your team?”

“I will always love Oliver and Digg. They are two of my best friends and I will worry about them especially with what they do. And if they need my help, I will be there for them, always. But you are important too. And my choice is to walk a path near or with you.” She was more than certain about her choice. No more doubts. No more second guessing. This felt right. Her being by his side was right. It didn’t matter if they had just known each other three days or ten years. This was right.

She lifted her lips to kiss his neck. She really didn’t want to talk anymore. And she was still sitting in his lap which was making her feel all sorts of hot. She kissed her way down his throat, pausing at the skin exposed at the top button of his shirt, licking him to taste the saltiness of his skin. He jerked beneath her and she squirmed a little.

“Felicity,” he warned. She had a way of making him lose control and he had wanted to take things slow with her. Although not a virgin, his few trysts were during his time performing and had been more from loneliness and his lack of experience. He wasn’t exactly proud of it and since he had awoken, he had wanted his first time awake in this new life to be meaningful and with someone he truly cared for, someone he would be committed to. He was sure he wanted to be with Felicity, but was this too fast for them?

“Yes Steve” She breathed, her hands tugging at his shirt, trying to lift it up so she could feel the hard planes of his stomach.

“Sweetheart, if you continue what you are doing, I’m not going to be able to stop. I have very little self-control when I’m with you.” Her touch on his skin was setting him on fire and he was losing it and fast.

“Why on earth would I want you to any self-control right now, Steve?” She had unbuttoned his shirt enough that she could nip and then kiss the spot right over his heart.

That was it. He picked her up in his arms and carried her off to his room. “What time are we supposed to meet them again?” He asked as she laughed.

 

* * *

Note: Smut ahead. If you can’t handle sexy times… you might want to skip the next chapter. You’ve been given fair warning.

* * *

 

 


	9. My Heart

Notes:

* * *

There is so much love for this couple, it's astounding to see! I'm always smiling when I read your comments and your growing love for Steve and Felicity. This chapter celebrates their next step together and is all smut! So if it’s something you’ve been waiting for… please enjoy!

* * *

 

 

Felicity liked being carried, especially by Steve, who seemed to have no trouble with her in his arms. She felt weightless. _Goodness, he’s really strong,_ she mused and laughed when he kicked his door shut.

Setting her gently down on her feet, he cupped her cheek and kissed her sweetly. He looked at her, his eyes darker, before asking, “Are you sure, Felicity? Is this too fast? I…”

Felicity didn’t wait for him to finish. She stood on tiptoe, her hands sliding up his chest before she kissed him, nipping his lower lip. “I want to be with you, Steve. It doesn’t matter if it’s today, tomorrow or next week, I’ll still want you. But if you want us to wait, I’ll try my hardest to be very, very patient.” _When did I become so brazen?_ she thought to herself, as she slid her hands over his chest, feeling his muscles flex beneath her touch.

Steve groaned as her fingers brushed over his nipple. No, this wasn’t just a fling to him. He wanted them to be serious and committed to each other. What had he said about not waiting to see what would happen tomorrow. Especially with their line of work, who knew whether they would be alive or dead the day after. He had experienced enough horrors to know that. He slid his tongue across her lips, silently asking her to part them. He was answering her, as he deepened the kiss, exploring and tasting her sweetness.

Felicity moaned as he moved to a sensitive spot behind her ear, kissing then licking it. She clutched at his shirt, unwilling to move as he travelled down the column of her neck to her shoulder. She jerked as he reached the curve, biting her gently before flicking his tongue out to soothe the spot.

Wanting to taste him too, she unbuttoned his shirt, trying to pull it off until he had to help her. _God, look at his muscles_ , she managed to think before deciding to travel over those same chest muscles, with her hands, lips and tongue. She felt him tremble, his muscles twitching wherever she sucked and nibbled.

Groaning, Steve buried his hands in her hair, guiding her back for a searing kiss before he reached down to pull her top off. He stared at her soft curves as he gently let his fingers track up her arm, across her shoulder and down her chest toward her bra. _Her skin is so soft_ , he thought as ran his palm over her creamy skin, stopping in areas he particularly wanted to memorize. Trailing his hand along the side of her ribs, he cupped one lace covered breast, pausing, as if unsure. Felicity covered his hand with hers, while reaching behind her with her other hand to unsnap her bra. Letting the lacy material fall, she moved his hand so that it cupped her breast, encouraging him.

He had seemed to stop breathing, his eyes roaming over her. “You are so beautiful.” He whispered, before bending to kiss each peak, sucking softly on each pink nipple. She felt her knees buckle and he caught her, lifting her up and carrying her to his bed. He laid her down gently, his eyes almost black with desire, as he looked at her. Slowly, he slid her pants and panties off, smiling at the black lace that peeked out at him. Quickly shedding his own pants and boxers, he moved to lie beside her, a little shy still.

Felicity loved that he was so shy about his first time with her. It made this moment with him so much more special. Reaching for him, she stroked his face with both hands, eyes never leaving his, before she pulled him to her, sliding her tongue across his lips, teasing him. She could feel him smile as kissed her back, tangling his tongue with hers.

His hands moved to her waist, trailing back up to her breasts, gently massaging them again, before deciding that his mouth needed to be there too. She whimpered as he suckled on one nipple and then the other, biting down gently on the under curve, sending sharp spears of desire through her. She writhed beneath him as he continued to alternate between nipping, kissing and sucking her. “Steve”, she gasped as she clutched at his hair, pulling his head toward her.

“Hmm?” he answered before letting his fingers travel down, circling around her navel and then down to her legs. His hands caressed the top of her thighs before gently kneading them while he kissed his way down to her stomach, nipping areas that he had just touched. He seemed to like it there, spending time licking and kissing any areas that fascinated him.

She felt like she was going to short circuit, her breath coming in little pants, moans and cries coming from her. He surprised her when she felt his fingers slowly brush over her slit, not knowing he had moved downward. “God, you’re so wet,” his hot breaths whispering across her, making her jerk in response toward him. “Can I taste you?” He asked, again unsure.

Not able to speak coherently, she pulled at him. “Please Steve.” she gasped out. He licked at her fleetingly before kissing her most sensitive spot. “God, you taste so good,” he licked her again, parting her, delving deeper into her wet heat.

She bucked up as he continued to taste her, her senses screaming, her whole body quivering, as she mewled. He slowly pushed one finger in, then two, continuing to kiss and lick her as he slowly guided his fingers in and out of her, before picking up the rhythm. He held her in place when she tried to thrust her hips toward him, the feeling becoming too intense. “Steve, I can’t…” She didn’t know how long more she could take it before she felt herself lifting off the bed, flying apart, calling out his name as she clutched at him desperately.

Coming back to herself, she found herself gazing up into his eyes. She pushed at his shoulder till he lay on his back. _My turn,_ she thought to herself happily, as she moved over him. She kissed him first, tasting herself on his tongue and lips which made her wet all over again. _Damn, how can a man be so beautiful?_ she thought as she ran her fingers down his chest, her lips following, pinching his nipples, licking down the deep indentations of his abs before reaching his hip. She smiled at the soft moans he was making and bent to kiss one hip before sliding over to the other, her hair trailing along his stomach. It was his turn to buck, his hands clenching the sheets at his side. He didn’t want to touch her, afraid he might hurt her.

She smiled again to herself as she kissed down the side of his hip to his inner thigh. She laid tiny kisses everywhere except where he wanted her most, teasing him with little panting hot breaths as she ghosted by, noticing how his hard length jerked even more as she did so. She moved back to where he lay hard and swollen, her small breaths back to torment him, but this time blowing gently without touching, before she decided that she had to taste him. She poked her tongue out, giving his tip the tiniest lick. He groaned, his hips jerking up, his hands flying out to the sides before clutching the sheets again, still refusing to touch her. Deciding to no longer tease him, she closed one hand around him, licking him down one side, before pumping him slightly. She decided to go further, popping the tip of him in her mouth, sucking gently, wanting to take him in further.

“Felicity, no more.” Steve’s voice was hoarse as he flipped her till she was lying under him. Before she could ask why, he looked at her intensely telling her, “I’m not going to be able to control myself, not now.”

Seeing that she understood, he reached over and took a condom from the bedside drawer, thanking his lucky stars that he had some ready. He rolled it on before positioning himself, rubbing himself over her entrance, making them both moan in anticipation. “Felicity,” he said reverently as he slowly pushed into her, gazing into her eyes, not looking away. They both moaned, feeling the intense and immediate connection as he lay sheathed within her. There were no words to describe what he was feeling, just that it was all Felicity. He waited a moment to let her adjust to the size of him till he felt her tip her hips up, wanting him to move.

“Hold on to me tight,” he said before he started to thrust slowly, lost in the feeling of having her wet heat surrounding him. The feeling was incredible, each thrust sending sparks up and down his spine and he struggled to keep himself above her, not wanting to crush her but needing the friction of his skin against hers. She gripped him tighter as he moved faster, her legs wrapped around him, her hands clinging to his shoulders, holding him close as he thrust powerfully into her.

She looked glorious, her hair spread around her on the pillow, her eyes wide with passion as she looked up at him, her lips parted and skin flushed. Steve covered her lips with his, plunging his tongue in her mouth, needing to connect to the taste of her. She tasted like nectar and it was driving him crazy, like he couldn’t get enough of her. He trailed kisses across her cheek before burying his face in her neck, breathing in the scent of her hair.

“Harder Steve,” she gasped out. He lost a little more control then, slamming into her, hips snapping till he could feel her start to clench around him, her cries becoming louder, driving him into a frenzy. He was so big that each time he thrust, he would hit the perfect spot, sending intense sensations that threatened to overwhelm her, the pressure building till she thought she would explode.

“Come for me,” he whispered as he looked into her eyes. Her lashes fluttered, eyes never leaving his and he watched incredulously as she came, falling apart beneath him, crying out his name. Her face was beyond beautiful, flushed pink and he felt her muscles clench and pulsate around him as she let go. He couldn’t take it any longer and lost control of his rhythm right before he felt himself tipping over the edge and with one last thrust, he emptied himself into her, his blood roaring in his ears. He didn’t know if he shouted out her name. All he knew was that his heart was bursting and his head was filled with only the thought of her.

When he felt he could move again, he slowly pulled out not wanting to lose his connection with her. He rolled over to his side, careful not to crush her. “I’ll be right back,” he said as he kissed her on the nose before quickly disposing of the condom. He returned to gather her in his arms, tucking her against him, her head pillowed on his shoulder, her legs tangling with his, as he pulled the covers over them to keep them warm.

Felicity gently kissed his chest before looking up at him, lost in his eyes. He was looking at her as if he’d never seen her before.

“I haven’t.” he said. “You’re talking out loud again, sweetheart,” he continued when she looked slightly confused. “I haven’t seen anyone more incredibly beautiful ever before in my life … do you know why?” Felicity shook her head slightly. “That’s because you are My Heart.” he whispered as he pressed his lips to hers and she felt an indescribable feeling blossom in her chest.

“You’re My Heart too,” she whispered back.


	10. Singing The Blues

Notes:

* * *

The response to the last chapter was amazing. Thank you for all the wonderful comments. They keep me thinking and writing! This week is going to be a little crazy workwise for me so I will try to update whenever I can. Hope you enjoy this next chapter.

* * *

 

 

“I thought I told you both not to be late.” Sam stared them both down, his arms crossed.

“We’re only fifteen minutes late, Sam.” Steve tried to look apologetic.

Sam looked them both up and down before asking, “And what on earth could have held you up for fifteen minutes more?”

“Traffic.” Steve said, straight faced.

Felicity was trying hard to stifle her laughter and she giggled when Sam rolled his eyes and walked off, pretending to be in a huff.

Digg looked them both over, amusement on his face. “That would have been more believable if you didn’t have a hickey on your neck, Felicity.” He laughed when she whirled to face Steve, her eyes wide. Passing Steve their tickets, he pointed to the entrance. “I’ll see you both inside.”

“I have a hickey? Where?” Felicity didn’t know whether she should be embarrassed or proud. They were out in public and could be photographed at any moment. The last thing she needed was a blown up picture of her neck and a hickey. She didn’t want to imagine the headlines.

“You don’t have any marks on your neck, sweetheart. Digg was just teasing you.” Steve laughed at how adorable she looked.

“I’m gonna kill him!” Felicity mock threatened, although she was actually quite relieved. “But if you ever want to give me one, could it be somewhere no one can see?” she asked, grinning up at Steve.

Steve flushed a shade of pink, still not comfortable speaking so publicly about something so intimate. He looked around to check that no one had heard before leaning closer to her. “You can always tell me where you would like one, and I’ll be sure to make it happen.”

It was Felicity’s turn to feel heated, but not from embarrassment. “Keep that up and we won’t be spending the next few hours watching this show.” She took his hand as they walked through the door to the Club.

Luckily, they managed to find a table where they could all sit together, since seating was on a first-come-first-choice basis. They chatted through dinner, laughing at the stories that Sam and Digg told about their attempt to go camping together.

“It was supposed to be part of our treatment for PTSD.” Sam admitted. “But, I swear, I got PTSD just from camping with this dude here.”

“How the hell did I make it stressful for you?” Digg asked.

“Well, I wanted to have fun. And you wanted to make it into an episode of Survivor or something. When you started shaving down sticks to make sharp points, that’s when I started getting really worried.” Sam said, making a face.

Digg snorted. “Don’t listen to his crap.” He was about to continue when his phone rang. Looking at the caller display, he got up and said, “I’ll be right back,” before leaving to take the call. Digg returned ten minutes later and when Felicity raised her brows questioningly, he mouthed “Later”. She couldn’t ask him anything further as the show was about to start and she had to stay quiet. She soon forgot about the call, her attention devoted to the musicians on stage, her hand in Steve’s, resting on her thigh.

It wasn’t till later when they were back in the hotel that she remembered to ask Digg about the call. Steve had insisted he give her a ride back to the hotel, this time allowing for a fifteen minute make out session in her room, but allowing it to go no further. He had insisted that she get some rest as he was picking her up early to take her out.

Not that she had listened as she was back in Digg’s room again. “We should have gotten Oliver to get us a suite with two rooms,” Digg teased. “That way, we would have a nice sitting area for our late night chats.”

“I needed the exercise. I like the walk to your room better than the training you keep trying to give me.” Felicity gave him a wide smile. “Okay, who called you?” She asked, no longer patient.

“You’ve been curious about that all night, have you now?” Digg asked dryly.

“I saw that look on your face. The ‘Oh brother, here we go again, we’re in deep shit!” look. Don’t you try to pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about.” Felicity warned.

Digg snorted. “Fine. It was Oliver.”

“What’s wrong? Did something happen? Does he need some kind of support? I can work these magic babies from over here too, you know.” Felicity wriggled her fingers excitedly.

“Then you might want to work on explaining to Oliver why you have your picture on numerous websites, cozying up to Captain America.” Digg said as solemnly as he could.

Felicity frowned. “How did he find out?”

“I don’t know. There are quite a few women who he hangs around back in Starling City. There’s Sara, Laurel and of course, Thea. Plus, I’m sure you are the talk of the town at QC.” Digg shrugged.

Before she could respond, Felicity’s phone rang. Damn. It was Oliver.

 

*

“Felicity.” Oliver growled out when she answered her phone.

“Hello to you too, Oliver. You know, people do say Hello before they say anything else. Or Hi. Or Hey. Or anything that sounds somewhat like that.” Felicity sounded exasperated on the other end of the line.

He missed her. She had been gone only a few days but the office and the lair had seemed empty without her. He missed her babble, the things that she would say that would make him smile, although he tried to hide it. But now he was also angry.

“Felicity.” He tried again.

“Yes, Oliver. Why are you calling? Do you need me to check something for you?” She sounded like she was right next to him instead of on the other side of the country.

“No. I don’t need you to check anything. I’m calling because I want to know what the hell you think you are doing.” Oliver ground out.

“What is that supposed to mean, Oliver?” Felicity asked, offended.

Oliver closed his eyes, his jaw working. “I saw the pictures of you and Captain America, Felicity. What the hell are you up to?”

“I’m not up to anything, Oliver. Steve and I are seeing each other. Of course, we can always be up to something when we are together. But of course, you didn’t need to know that. Nope!” Felicity’s reply set Oliver more on edge. What did she mean by that? Were they actually dating?

“Felicity,” Oliver tried his best to keep calm, “You’ve been gone less than a week. Who in their right mind would start dating someone when they are on vacation? And you should have told me about this. Now I have to deal with this fling of yours.”

“It isn’t a fling, Oliver. And you’re one to talk about the length of time it takes to get intimate with someone. And why should I tell you anything about my private life? It’s none of your business.” Felicity was starting to use her loud voice.

Oliver ignored her. “I have a right to know because this could affect what we do. It places too much attention on us especially at our night job. This is not the time for you to be distracted. And how do you know he’s not using you for something?”

There was a long pause and Oliver had to check if they had been accidently cut off. “Now you listen to me, Oliver Queen. Firstly and most importantly, Steve is not using me for anything. He likes me and I like him. And, we will be seeing each other from now on. Hopefully for a long while more. Two. Any relationship that I have with Steve will not affect what I do at QC or at our night job. I will make sure that it won’t and I have Steve’s total support and understanding when it comes to that. Three. Why would it bring more attention to our night job? Nobody cares what I do at night. Well they do now that they’ve seen me and Steve together. But it won’t be bringing that much attention to you. I am nothing to you. I’m your Executive Assistant. I’m not your girlfriend. You have a girlfriend. Her name is Sara. And everyone will be focussed on her, not me, when it comes to news about you.”

“You do mean something to me, Felicity.” Oliver said quietly.

“What is that supposed to mean, Oliver?” Felicity asked. He wished he was standing in front of her right then. He might have told her exactly what it meant. Or maybe not.

“Nothing. I’ll talk to you about this when you get back.” He cut the line off without saying goodbye, standing with his hands clenched by his sides.

_Damn it all_! He thought before stepping in front of the wooden dummy. He started to hit the sticks, going faster as he tried to work through his anger. _I should have listened to Digg when he said that everything was fine and not called her_. He slammed the dummy again and again, trying to channel his frustration. _I really shouldn’t care so much that she’s seeing someone anyway_.

He realized Sara was standing off to the side, watching him, a frown on her face. “Let’s gear up.” He told her as he stepped away and walked past her to get changed.

It was only later that night after he had patrolled the streets and was lying in bed that he thought about what Felicity had said. What had she meant when she said that she had her new supposed boyfriend’s support and understanding about their night job? Had she told him about the Arrow? He really didn’t want to delve into the ‘intimacy’ part either. He sighed, knowing sleep wasn’t going to come anytime soon.

 

*

“That went well.” Digg waited for her to respond as he watched her pacing the floor in front of him.

“Fling? Used? Distracted? Right mind?” Felicity muttered, furious.

“Well, at least you could put two words together somewhere in there.” Digg crossed his arms, leaning back in his chair.

Felicity stopped pacing and glared at Digg. “How is this funny? What the hell is wrong with him?”

“Well, we are talking about Oliver.” Digg tried to defuse her anger but at the look she shot him, he tried a different tact. “Felicity, Oliver cares about you. He’s worried that you will get hurt. He just doesn’t know how to express it the right way.”

“How is this expressing that he cares about me, Digg?” Felicity was sure that she was still mad. Yup! Really mad! Hands in the air yelling mad!

“Do I need to get you a gun now too?” Digg asked. He figured that she would soon realise that she was speaking her mind again. “Felicity, Oliver really does care about you. More than you think. And he doesn’t know Steve. He has never seen you both together. He doesn’t realise how good Steve is for you, or you for him, for that matter. He’ll understand when he sees how you both feel about each other.”

“I hope you are right about that, Digg. Look, I’m going to go to bed. Or at least I’ll try to. Are you sure you’re not mad that Steve and I will be out the whole day tomorrow? We can always come back to meet you for dinner.”

“Nope. You go have fun. Sam and I made plans to meet an old friend. I’m not sure what time we’ll be back.”

Felicity kissed his cheek before heading back to her room. Digg sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. He did hope he was right about Oliver understanding. Oliver had backed off being upset when he had seen that Felicity’s interest in Barry Allen wouldn’t amount to anything serious. Well, Barry was in a coma after all. Felicity with Steve was different. Digg had seen the way they both looked at each other and how they were trying to work at their new relationship. He wasn’t sure what they had both discussed about their future, but he had an inkling that Oliver was not going to like it. Although Felicity had genuine feelings towards Oliver, he hoped that she had put it in the past so she could move on to someone who could make her happy. And it looked to him like Steve was the one to do that. He might be in Felicity’s life for quite a while going forward. He only hoped that Oliver could forgive himself for letting her slip through his fingers.


	11. You Are Not Alone

Notes:

* * *

 I love that so many of you are eager for an update just as much as I love reading your thoughts and insights in your comments. Thank you so much for taking the time to share them with me. I’ve been holding on to this chapter for a while, trying to get it just perfect. There are some intense feelings that needed to be shared between Felicity and Steve so that they can really start moving along with their new relationship. This will be important for the chapters that are coming down the road. I hope that I was able to do a decent enough job with it. Also, I really wanted the both of them to have at least one proper date. On a side note and just in case, please know that there is some smut at the end. Enjoy!

* * *

 

Felicity hadn’t slept particularly well. She had still been angry with Oliver by the time she had climbed into bed and had resorted to punching her pillows a few times. She had thought of calling Steve, but had looked at the time and decided not to bother him. After all, he could only do a few things to make her feel better. Punch Oliver out or come over and actually make her feel better, neither of which would get her to sleep any sooner.

Steve had asked her to dress in shoes she could walk in but hadn’t told her anything more about where he was bringing her for their date together. All he had told her was that he hoped she would love it. She figured that jeans would be a must since they would be on his motorcycle again and decided to wear ankle boots. _I didn’t exactly pack any sporting gear,_ she laughed thinking about it. Nope to exercise.

Hearing a knock on the door, she opened it to find Steve standing there. “Hey, you’re early.” She said, pulling him into the room.

“I didn’t want to wait for you in the lobby. Too many hidden cameras.” Steve said kissing her hello. Well, it was more like a long, very passionate kiss to say hello.

“Hmm. That was nice.” Felicity said as she wrapped herself around him.

“Didn’t you sleep well?” He asked when she leaned against him and yawned.

“Not really.” Her reply was muffled as she nuzzled his chest.

Steve frowned. “Why was that?” Did she have trouble sleeping like he did? He was sometimes afraid to sleep, unsure if he would wake up in another world or another time.

“Oliver called. He was being unreasonable and mad because he found about us. I told him to go stuff it!” Felicity said fiercely.

“Stuff it?” Steve wanted to laugh. She looked so cute when she was angry.

Felicity tried to stifle a giggle. Having Steve here was already making her feel better. She’d deal with grouchy Oliver later. She inhaled Steve’s scent and smiled. “I think I can rub myself all over you and just purr.” She said without thinking.

“I don’t even want to know what you mean by that.” Steve said, his voice a little hoarse.

Felicity looked up at him, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Do you want to find out?”

Steve swallowed hard. “No, I have plans for us. But, I’m game to re-negotiate any plans we have for later in the day, if you are.”

Felicity smiled at him sweetly. “I’ll make sure I put it on the agenda.”

 

*

They went for breakfast first. Steve wanted a plate piled with food; toast, sausages, eggs, bacon, cut potatoes. Felicity told him she just needed coffee... and pancakes. He shook his head. She needed at least a little protein in her meal. “Fine,” she said as she stole some eggs from his plate, while he looked on amused.

It was not yet mid-morning when they arrived at their destination. “Oh, wow. This place is beautiful!” Felicity said, looking at the building in front of her. He had brought her to George Washington’s plantation home, Mount Vernon.

“I’ve only been here once before, but it was a while ago.” Steve said. “This place made me yearn for the quiet life. There was something about this place that I liked, the river, the garden, and even the animals. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t want something like this. It just seemed peaceful. I can’t explain it.”

Felicity turned to him, eyeing him thoughtfully. _It must have reminded him of what a home should feel like._ “So why are we here so early then? I think the milking of the cows was a couple of hours ago.” She teased.

“They don’t milk cows here.” He laughed. “I just wanted to come here with you when it was less crowded and hopefully that would mean there are less cameras. And I have other plans for later.”

“Oh? Like what?” Now she was curious. “You’ll see.” He smiled at her, but refused to say anymore.

They toured the mansion first in anticipation that it would become more crowded as the morning went by. They then took their time walking hand in hand among the outer buildings, the grounds and the gardens where the open spaces ironically gave them a little more privacy. They spent a few hours there before heading into town for a quick lunch.

“We need to go grab some things.” Steve tugged her toward a small grocery store. “Just water and some snacks. I wasn’t sure if you wanted more than that so I thought we would just buy it here.”

“Where are we going?” she asked, confused as to why they needed to buy snacks.

“Hiking.” He replied as he walked among the food aisles.

She grimaced. “Um, I’m not that big a fan of hiking.” She told him, looking down at her boots. She was definitely not wearing the appropriate footwear for hiking.

Steve glanced at her, smiling. “Don’t worry, there are easy footpaths that you can walk along. I’ll carry you the rest of the way.” She wondered what he meant.

He hadn’t been wrong when he said that they had walkable footpaths in the park that he brought her to. But when it came to the nature trails and the rockier areas that he decided to travel along, he carried her instead in his arms, cradling her to him. She didn’t mind at all. Oh no, she liked laying her head on his chest, her arms around his neck. He didn’t seem to be exerting himself at all. A giggle escaped her and he looked down, amused.

They finally reached a clearing where they had a spectacular view of the valley below. It was out of the way, perfectly private and secluded and hopefully inaccessible to anyone trying to take pictures of them. Settling themselves down, she sat in front of him, leaning against his chest, his arms wrapped around her. “Okay, I was wrong. I did like that hike.” She told him.

He chuckled. “You mean you actually hiked? Which part?” kissing the top of her head before resting his cheek on her hair. She didn’t bother to answer.

They sat there quietly for a while, looking out at the view before Felicity said quietly, “Steve, tell me about Bucky.”

He tightened his hold of her and she took his hand and kissed it, giving him some comfort. “He’s my best friend,” Steve started, sounding sad, “we grew up together, did everything together. And then he enlisted and was sent off to the war first. After I was given the super serum, I wasn’t allowed to go to the front. I wasn’t considered a soldier, just a successful experiment which they wanted to display. I became part of troupe that travelled, providing entertainment. By that time, Bucky had become part of an elite unit called the Howling Commandos. I heard that the unit had been attacked and I decided to go in to see if I could save them. But because I was disobeying orders, I had to go in alone. I found Bucky on a HYDRA base, being experimented on. I should have found out more about the experiments, but I was so relieved to find him that I didn’t take the time to look. Bucky and I were on a mission, on a train when Bucky fell. I saw him plunge to his death.” Steve stopped, shuddering at the memory and Felicity twisted so she could sit in his lap, hugging him to her, comforting him.

“I thought he died that day and that I lost my best friend, the only brother I knew.” Steve continued, his voice filled with emotion. “But then, recently we were attacked by an assassin, someone they called the Winter Soldier. He was as strong and as fast as me and I had to find a way to fight him differently. That’s when I found out that this assassin was Bucky. But he didn’t recognise me anymore. He had survived the fall because of the experiments they had done on him, but now he had been brainwashed and reprogrammed by HYDRA. The Bucky I knew was lost. But I didn’t want to give up. I knew that Bucky was still somewhere in there and when we fought again on the helicarriers, I had to find another way to get to him. There had to be a way.” Steve stopped talking, overwhelmed with what he was feeling.

“Where is he now?” Felicity asked, stroking the back of Steve’s neck.

Steve looked at her, his eyes full of pain. “I don’t know. I need to find him. He’s out there somewhere. And I know I can help him. But I need to find him first.”

“We will find him.” Felicity said in the fierce way she had. She would make it her mission as to help Steve find his best friend. When Steve shook his head, she held his face in her hands. “I won’t be doing this alone. You will have help, Steve.” She kissed him softly. He needed to know that he didn’t have to rely on only himself and that he did have people around him that cared for him and supported him.

They stayed holding each other for a while, before Steve spoke again. “Tell me why Oliver was upset about us. He’s one of your best friends, right? What could have upset him?”

Felicity sighed. “I’m not sure exactly sure. Oliver said a lot but it wasn’t making much sense. He was concerned that you were just a fling and that I would be distracted from our night work because of you. He wanted to know why I hadn’t told him about you. Digg said it’s because Oliver cares, but he sure has a lovely way of showing it.”

“I hate to ask you this but are you sure that there is nothing going on between you and Oliver?” Steve asked hesitantly, not wanting Felicity to think that he didn’t trust her.

Felicity thought that Steve deserved her being honest with him. “I admit that I used to have more than just platonic feelings for Oliver for the longest time. It was hard as I worked so closely with him and I saw him almost every day. It took me a while to deal with my feelings for him. But he doesn’t feel the same way about me.”

Felicity looked up as Steve remained silent, but he seemed to be listening so she continued. “I don’t have much family or many close friends, Steve. Oliver and Digg are two of the closest friends I have and are very important to me. I think that I eventually realized that it was better to love Oliver as a friend than to lose him altogether. I’m not in love with him, not anymore anyway.” She paused, wanting to check that Steve was not upset. Although he was looking at her intently, he didn’t seem angry.

“To be honest, when Digg and I left to come on this trip, I was upset with Oliver and feeling hurt. We have a new member on the team, Oliver’s girlfriend, Sara. I’m not upset that they are a couple, but rather that Oliver started acting differently toward me, colder, more distant. I don’t understand it and it makes it difficult for us to work together.”

“And you’re saying that he has never shown any feelings toward you?” Steve asked.

Felicity shook her head. “Never. He’s had girlfriends before but he has never been interested in me. Anyway, I’m not his type. Probably too plain and nerdy.”

“What makes you say that? You’re incredible. I’m lucky that you are still sticking around with me.” Steve said.

“I’m the lucky one,” Felicity turned to look up at him. “Incredibly lucky to have you, in fact.”

Steve was quiet for a moment before looking back at Felicity. “It would be unrealistic to think that both of us have never had feelings for someone else before. But I’m certain that right now, you are the only person I want to be with. Do you feel the same way? I want you to think about this carefully. I know you’ve said that you wanted to come to New York with me, but I want you to be sure and not make any rash decisions. I don’t want you to have any regrets.”

Felicity’s chest felt tight with emotion. She understood where he was coming from. He had lost so much and had been alone for so long that he didn’t want to be abandoned again. He had no family here and the friends that he now had, he was only just slowly learning to trust. He was probably afraid as he opened his heart and let her in. So she asked herself if her feelings for him were true. She had been in love with Oliver for so long, perhaps she was just redirecting her love to Steve. She needed to be sure, for him.

She took Steve’s hand in hers and when she finally spoke, her eyes were clear and there was no hesitation. “Steve, all my life, I’ve had to fight for things. My life has not been easy and there have been times that I’ve had to work extra hard and sacrifice a lot to get what I wanted. So whenever I make a choice, it is usually with both my head and my heart.

She ran her fingers over a small line that had appeared on his brow, smoothing it away. “I’ve never been really comfortable around people. Everyone thinks I’m strange. Maybe it’s because I babble too much. But then I met you. I never expected to have someone like you come into my life. We may have known each other only a few days, but it feels like I’ve known you forever. And I really like the way I am when I’m with you. I don’t have to be another person, or feel that I’m not good enough. That’s because you make me feel like I’m already enough, like I’m already better. So if you’re asking me if I’m sure that I want to be with you, then I’m telling you right now, I’m sure. And there is no one else that I’d rather be with. No one.”

Steve let out the breath that he didn’t know he’d been holding. He didn’t know what to say. All he could do was kiss her till she was breathless, knowing that she would understand what he was feeling. _I don’t think I could ever let you go_ , he thought to himself as he held her.

He thought back to their first time making love together the day before. He knew his ways were old fashioned when it came to this new world he was now living in. But he had been serious when he had said he would only sleep with someone he intended to have a committed relationship with. To him, Felicity had made a commitment to their relationship when she had decided to consider Tony’s proposal and move to New York to be with him. It was a big step, trusting her with his heart.

He wouldn’t doubt that she was sure of him. However, he hadn’t met Oliver yet and he didn’t know if anyone who reacted that angrily could have just platonic or brotherly feelings. And this was Felicity they were talking about. She brought sunshine when she walked into the room with her bright smile, adorable babble and infectious energy. He thought it crazy that Oliver would not have noticed her.

With Felicity assuring him that she would be going to New York with him, he knew that they should talk about their future plans and he needed to get back to Tony. But it could wait. Today was meant to be just for the two of them. He knew that whenever the craziness started again, they would find it a lot more difficult to find normal, peaceful, perfect moments like this.

 

*

Felicity had convinced Steve to come back to her hotel room. It actually hadn’t taken much persuasion and he had agreed to maybe staying the night. She had plans, which involved her sneaking into a drugstore and buying a box of condoms since she figured he had none on him. She hid them in her bag and thought about staying in and ordering room service. _Dinner in bed is definitely on the agenda_ , she thought, grinning to herself.

Making love to him this time was just as lovely as their first time, although there seemed to be a slight desperation in the way he kissed her. She had taken the time to lovingly explore his body from head to toe, insisting that he let her.

She was now sitting on his lap, her legs wrapped around his waist, his hands on her ass, helping her as she thrust down on him, the angle so perfect that she would see spots as sensation after sensation shot through her. His face was nestled to her breasts, sucking and nipping at them, driving her into a frenzy.

Feeling that familiar pressure building at her core, she felt dizzy as her world starting to spiral. “Steve, I’m so close” she breathed, holding him to her, unaware of anything else but the feel of him and the pleasure he was bringing her.

“Come for me, Felicity,” she heard him say before she saw stars, her head thrown back as she cried out his name, again and again. She heard him shout her name at the same time, feeling another burst of sensation as he came, pulsing into her before he frantically took her lips.

They didn’t move after, instead they stayed wrapped around each other, their foreheads resting together as they caught their breath. She felt a tear run down her cheek and he brushed it away, asking what was wrong, worried. “Nothing is wrong. I’m just so happy.” She told him before he kissed her in that heady way of his, holding her even closer, his face level with hers. Her breath caught when she saw the emotion in his eyes, something she wasn’t sure she dared name yet.

They made love many more times that night, always reaching for each other, each time as tender yet as passionate as the next. She didn’t want to leave his arms, thinking that it was just absolutely perfect, them just being together like this.

 

*

She awoke the next morning, her head on his shoulder, her hair spread around her. She kissed his skin, feeling him move beneath her as he awoke and cuddled her closer.

“Good morning.” She knew he was smiling without looking at him.

“Good morning to you too.” She said back, ducking her head.

“What are you doing?” Steve chuckled when she buried her head in his shoulder, refusing to look at him.

Felicity grimaced. “Morning breath. Mine, I mean. I’m sure it’s gross.”

Steve laughed and flipped her on her back. “I have morning breath too.” He said nuzzling her as she tried to keep her mouth firmly closed.

“Mmm mmm.” she shook her head, before laughing. “Hmmm, I think someone has some morning happy going on.” She squirmed as she felt herself heating up again.

“I’m always happy to see you.” Steve said cheekily. _Well well. Look who’s not so shy now,_ she thought smiling. “Do you want me to show you how happy I am?” Steve asked, rubbing himself against her, making her breath catch. _Damn, we’re still naked_. Felicity was about to respond when Steve’s phone rang and he let his head drop to her shoulder. “I’m just going to ignore that,” he said.

“Nope, you need to answer it. Your phone never rings, so it must be something important.” Felicity reached over and grabbed his phone, handing it to him.

“Yes, Tony.” Steve ground out, frustrated at the untimely early morning call.

“Cap, you need to get Felicity and get out of there. Get her packed. I’m sending a car to get the both of you. It’ll be out front in fifteen minutes. All hell has broken loose and I’m getting you both to a safe place! ” There was none of the usual Tony snark, which made Steve freeze and then jump into immediate action. He would ask questions later.

“We’ll be right down.” He said. Turning to Felicity who was looking at him wide eyed. “We have to go. You need to get packed right now.”


	12. A Safe Place

Notes:

* * *

I’m blown away by the response I received from the last chapter. So many passionate comments! I must say it warms my heart to know that so many of you like where this story is going. I rushed home to get this update out for you. So without further ado… enjoy!

* * *

 

Felicity had thrown everything in her suitcase in record time, and they made it as far as the hotel lobby before they were greeted by a hoard of photographers and curious onlookers. She found herself disoriented by camera flashes, voices calling out and people jostling to get to them. Steve managed to get them safely to the car waiting for them just outside the main doors, for which she was very grateful. _Now I know why Oliver was worried. He’s probably gone through this a million times._ She felt bad for being angry at him.

Steve opened the door so she could get in first, throwing her suitcase in the trunk before climbing in with her. Thank goodness the windows were tinted and no one could see them.

“Welcome,” the driver turned around, smiling at them.

“Barton.” Steve nodded, not in the least bit surprised but still grateful that Hawkeye was here.

Felicity looked wide eyed at the Avenger. “Hi, I’m Felicity Smoak. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Clint Barton. Likewise.” Barton nodded toward her before he drove off, tires screeching. “Hold on. I need to lose some of these asshats. Can’t have us being followed.”

Felicity grabbed Steve, trying not to fall over as she tried to get her seatbelt on. “Where’s Digg?” She called out, worrying about leaving him behind.

“He’ll meet us at the safe site. Wilson is going to pick him up. He still has the luxury of flying under the radar.”

“What is going on?” Felicity asked, becoming scared.

Steve’s face was hard when he turned to her. “The media probably found out who you are. Which is why they could find where you were staying. And if they know who you are, then I need to know you are safe from the people who could hurt me too. Which is probably why Tony sent Hawkeye to get us.”

Barton looked at them through the rear view mirror. “Nah. It’s not that bad. Tony is just being dramatic. But I’m glad I get to meet you, Felicity Smoak. I’ve heard a little bit about you.”

 

*

Felicity was used to looking at luxury. After all, she worked for Oliver Queen who was accustomed to a billionaire’s standard of living. So she wasn’t taken aback when she walked into Tony Stark’s house in D.C.

She was however, totally enthralled with the technology she was surrounded by when she was led down to where he was currently working.

“What is that?” She asked curiously.

“Oh, wouldn’t you like to know? But, I don’t reveal my secrets to anyone who isn’t on my team. Then again, you could harass me about it. I’m all for trying to fight off the hungry, itchy, curious fingers of a tech goddess that I just had the privilege of meeting.” Tony wriggled his eyebrows at her to which Felicity laughed.

“Hands off Stark. What would Pepper think?” Steve walked in, feeling not in the least bit threatened.

“Pepper would agree. She knows me well. I ask her for playthings all the time.” Tony gave them a fake grin before leading them back upstairs. “Our two other friends should be here soon and then we can get started.”

Felicity looked around. “Where’s Barton?” She knew he had come in with them but he was nowhere to be seen.

Tony shrugged. “He’s jealous of the copycat. I guess he’s gone to hone his skills for the tournament. You know, in case they get to meet. At the Games.”

“I don’t think Arrow would care too much.” Digg said as he walked into the room with Sam and Clint.

“Oh, I’m sure Oliver Queen would love the friendly competition.” Tony said to which Felicity swung around to glare at him. “What? Barton will find out sooner or later. He probably already knows who The Arrow is… don’t you Hawkeye?”

Clint nodded, taking a seat on one of the nearby couches. Felicity figured he was a man of few words. _What was it with brooding archers?_

“Okay, will somebody please tell me what’s going on. Not that you really have to. But I would very much like to know since you interrupted a very important session this morning. Important to me. Not to you.” She pointed at Tony before looking up to see an interesting expression on Steve’s face. _Ah, I’m going to mentally catalog that look_ , she grinned.

“You mean you were conducting a meeting? I wonder what kind.” Tony smirked. When Steve glared at him, he shrugged and changed the subject. “Fine. Well firstly, your secret’s out and I wasn’t the one to tell.”

“We already figured that one out.” Steve was getting impatient.

“They would have stormed the building. I was the cavalry.” Tony pouted.

“Aren’t you over exaggerating this just a little?” Sam asked, exasperated.

Steve thought about it and nodded at Tony. “No, Tony’s right. They wouldn’t have left us alone. My relationship with Felicity is too new right now and they will want more information on the both of us.”

“It will calm down a little as they get used to us being together.” Felicity said confidently. After all, the same thing would happen all the time with Oliver and any new girlfriend he was seen with.

“Yes, but we will have others to worry about. People that could hurt you because of me. And I’d rather I keep you safe from them.” Steve said, thinking he needed to have a plan.

Felicity was nothing if not practical. “That will always be the case, Steve.”

“That’s true, but if you are surrounded by the Avengers or your own Team, then I will feel like you are better protected.” Steve wasn’t backing down, not when it meant keeping her safe.

“What’s that I hear? Steve used the A word? Does that mean you’re joining the Team… or as you so nicely put it, the A team?” Tony tried not to sound ecstatic.

Digg asked quietly, “You’re going to New York?”

Felicity turned sadly to face Digg and nodded. “We’ll talk about this later, okay?” She wanted to let Digg know her reasons although she knew he would have probably already guessed them. But he looked so sad right now, it broke her heart. “I’m still going back to Starling City with you first. I need to talk to the team.” Digg nodded before looking away.

“Well, enough with the high school breakups. First love never lasts.” Tony rolled his eyes before continuing. “I have more news. I did some research on H.I.V.E. and Deadshot after our talk the other day. What kind of lame name is Hierarchy of International Vengeance and Extermination by the way? Barton here helped, although, it was like he was breathing down my neck as he looked over my shoulder.” Clint didn’t even glance at Tony, obviously used to the crap that he spewed.

“Anyway,” Tony turned toward Digg, “do you want to tell me the real reason why you are here in Washington D.C., Mr Diggle and what you and Mr Wilson have been up to the last few days?”

Digg sighed. “I received information that A.R.G.U.S. had tracked operatives from H.I.V.E. in and around the D.C. area. One of them is an assassin by the name of Deathstroke although I’m not sure who that is yet.”

“Jarvis, get on that please.” Tony spoke up.

“Right away, sir.” A voice came out of nowhere causing Felicity to look up, a grin on her face.

“A.I.” she breathed incredulously.

“You may call me Jarvis, Ms. Smoak. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” Felicity grinned at the voice. _Oh this was going to be so much fun_ , she thought giddily to herself.

“What about Deadshot?” Tony prompted.

“He was seen somewhere in the area too. But I was more concerned about the news of a super serum and an army being built.” Digg wasn’t happy with the look that Felicity gave him.

“What are you talking about? Is it Mirakuru? Does Oliver know? Why didn’t you tell me?” Felicity didn’t like that Digg was keeping secrets from her.

“So many questions. How about we make this a little easier and we give you ‘yes’ and ‘no’ questions to which you can either nod and shake your head. We might get information faster that way.” Tony snarked, getting impatient with Digg.

Felicity decided to try to explain. “I’m not sure what Mirakuru is exactly but I do know that it gives super strength and speed to anyone who is injected with it, along with enhanced healing abilities. However, we’re not sure if everyone survives being injected with it. One side effect is that the person feels pure rage and the inability to control that rage. We know someone who was injected and we are trying to help him overcome it. He’s still not dealing with it very well,” she said, thinking of Roy.

Tony tilted his head, looking at Steve. “That sounds like a cross between you and the green guy. Although, I’m sure if you lose your ‘boy scout’ ways, it might just describe you without the bulging eyes.”

Steve looked serious. “It sounds like the same serum that HYDRA used to experiment on Bucky. It made him as strong as me but it also drove him practically insane. It’s actually a strain of the serum they used on me, something they couldn’t replicate.”

“No one could replicate you, Capsicle. Otherwise we would all be licking lollipops. And I did not mean that in a dirty way, although I’m sure Smoakie here would agree to disagree.” Tony gave a silly little smile that dropped instantly when Steve gave him a dirty look.

Flushing red, Felicity asked Steve, “So it could be the same serum? The one that HYDRA experimented on? That means that anyone injected would be as strong as you?”

Steve nodded, unsure as he had only ever encountered one person like that. Bucky. “So you were saying they were building an army? Why were they seen near D.C. then? What have you managed to find out?”

“Nothing yet,” Digg answered. “We have not been able to source any information or link anyone to Deathstroke or Deadshot. A.R.G.U.S. is still trying to trace them.”

“It’s Lyla who’s giving you this information, isn’t it?” Felicity asked Digg, still upset. “So why didn’t you and Oliver tell me. I could have done research. Tracked any information, leads that you needed.”

“It was too dangerous,” Digg replied. “We knew that H.I.V.E. was monitoring us after we had returned from Russia. After what happened to Roy, Oliver decided that we couldn’t risk anything happening to any of us on the team, especially you. A.R.G.U.S. has the manpower to track this. We don’t.”

“Oliver has no right to decide what I should or shouldn’t know. I could have covered my tracks. Been careful!” Felicity had started to use her loud voice.

Steve opened his mouth to speak but Clint interrupted him, finally saying something. “It doesn’t matter now who knew what. What is more important is that we find out why they are here. This is Washington D.C., the nation’s capital. All the important government bodies are here. This is not good news. I’m calling Natasha in. We could use her help. Maria too.”

Tony nodded, thinking. “I want you all to stay here. This house has enough protection and we can set up base. Can we get Roy to Banner? He can run some tests on him. Find out what this Mirakuru serum does. I can fly him to the Avengers Tower to the med lab there. Felicity, you can start setting up tracers on any news or information relating to Deathstroke, Deadshot, H.I.V.E. or any other suspicious activity. Between you, me and Jarvis, they will never be able to trace it back to us.”

Felicity was shocked. Where had crazy Tony Stark gone? He was so serious now. _Got his thinking cap on_ , she thought, as she nodded okay to him. So this was what the Avengers looked like when they had their act together. She turned to Steve who was looking pensive, taking it all in. “Are you okay with all of this?” she asked him.

“It’s a lot and it’s serious. An army of super soldiers is a cause for concern. We need to figure out what is going on and fast. I also need to talk to Oliver and Digg and find out what they know. Tony is right when he says that Bruce should take a look at Roy. I promise you that Bruce will not treat him like a lab rat. Bruce knows better than anyone else about uncontrollable rage and what it is like to deal with it. He might be able to help your friend.”

Tony overheard the last part of their conversation. “Nope and double nope. Bruce is a terrible therapist. I’ve tried him. He hasn’t helped me at all.”

Steve rolled his eyes and led Felicity away. “Come on. Let’s get you unpacked and settled in first.”

“You know you two are sharing a room right? We don’t have enough bedrooms so you need to bunk together.” Tony smirked at them before turning around and walking off.

Steve turned to her, worried that she wouldn’t like the rooming arrangements. “I can always bunk with Barton if you aren’t okay with it.”

“Are you kidding me, Steve Rogers? I would love to share a room with you. You don’t snore loud enough to wake me up or hog the covers. You smell wonderful and you’re my personal pillow to snuggle. Why would I want you anywhere else but in my bed?” Felicity grinned up at him.

Steve laughed, pulling her to him for a quick kiss. “I snore, huh? I think you snore louder.” He laughed even louder when her mouth dropped open. Picking up her bags, he walked toward a nearby staircase. “Jarvis, can you let me know which room Felicity and I will be staying in, please.”

 

*

Steve had gone with Sam to pack his things, including Steve’s Captain America uniform and shield. He had kissed her goodbye and told her he would be right back. She wondered who was going to take care of his motorcycle since he couldn’t go back to the hotel to get it. While waiting, Felicity had quickly unpacked, leaving space for Steve’s clothes. _We’ll be sharing closet space,_ she thought as she hugged herself, smiling at the small but somehow very important detail.

She made her way downstairs and found Digg sitting quietly in one of the rooms. “Hey,” she said as she approached him.

“Felicity,” Digg looked at her sadly. “I’m sorry about not telling you about H.I.V.E. and Deadshot earlier. Maybe Oliver and I were wrong in keeping information from you but we just wanted to protect you. After all that has happened to Roy, and Sara being new to the team, we just couldn’t risk anything happening to you.”

Felicity tilted her head, no longer angry at him. “I understand Digg. But please, I’m still part of the team. You need to keep me in the loop for me to be able to help.”

“Are you,” he asked sadly, “still part of the team? It seems like you have decided to go to New York. You’ll be part of a new team soon.”

“Oh Digg,” Felicity sighed, putting her arms around him, “I will always be part of the team if you will have me. I can always set something up so I can help, even from New York. But I want to start a new life with Steve. Is that so wrong?”

Digg hugged her back. “No Felicity. If anyone deserves to be happy, it’s you. And Steve is a good man. I’m happy for you both. But I will miss you.”

“And I’ll miss you too.” Felicity said with tears in her eyes.

 

*

Digg had received a phone call just as Steve walked in the house with the few things he had quickly packed. Sam had brought his EXO-7 and Felicity wondered how he had managed to keep it. Didn’t the government need to take it back?

She had heard that Maria Hill was arriving soon with the Avengers jet and Felicity wondered if Natasha was going to be with her. She had heard a lot about the Black Widow and wanted to meet Steve’s partner. She sat munching on food that had magically appeared at the dining table, listening to everyone discuss some quick plans as to how to proceed over the next couple of days.

“Mr. Stark,” Jarvis chimed in, “I have some new information on Deathstroke. Would you like it now, sir?”

“Go ahead, Jarvis,” Tony said, putting down his fork for a moment.

“His real name is Slade Joseph Wilson, formerly a member of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service. Information shows that he was injected with a form of super-serum that you were discussing. It is speculated that it is from his blood that copies of the serum are being made and injected into others, some of whom do not survive as Ms Smoak pointed out. His last known affiliation is with the agency H.I.V.E. but his current whereabouts are still unknown. That is all I have managed to find out so far, sir.” Jarvis went silent.

“Good job Jarvis. Let me know if you come up with anything else.” Tony said before turning to everyone. “I guess we should try to trace any known sightings of this Slade Wilson, any of his contacts, anything at all that could lead us to where we can potentially find him.”

“There’s no need for that.” Digg came up to where they were all sitting. “I know where he is.” When everyone turned to look at him, he continued. “Oliver just called. Slade turned up at the mansion and introduced himself to Moira Queen today. He needs back up. We need to go to Starling City.”


	13. Great Going!

A quick couple of notes. I’m diverging from the Arrow plotline a little (or maybe a lot) from now on. There is no way I can follow it, so I hope all the Arrow fans out there can be forgiving. Thank you in advance! I also want you to know that I struggled with this chapter quite a bit and thought about it for days as to whether to leave the last part of it here or bring it forward to the next chapter. You may understand, or not, after reading it. It was about the feelings involved with many different parties, each in a different place… was it the right time? Please do know that I left it there after writing the next chapter first and it felt right to just leave it as it was. So please enjoy and as always, thank you so much for reading and let me what you think!

* * *

 

 

They were on their way to Starling City. Felicity was astounded how big the Avengers jet was inside as it had looked pretty small from the outside. Although nothing like a private plane, it was relatively comfortable and she found herself nestled against Steve as she tried to get some sleep.

It was quiet in the jet although no one was actually sleeping. Tony was sitting upfront in what could be called the cockpit with Clint. They had been reviewing information that Tony and Jarvis had compiled, with details that Digg and Felicity had added. Digg, Sam and Maria Hill were now sitting in a corner of the plane, quietly discussing something, but she couldn’t hear what they were saying. She hadn’t talked much to Maria after they had been introduced, but she seemed nice enough. Felicity was disappointed that Natasha wasn’t there. She had wanted to meet the woman that was the closest thing to a partner that Steve had had.

“Don’t you need to go sit with them to go over the information too?” Felicity asked, rubbing her cheek against Steve’s shoulder before kissing his chin.

“There’s no need. I can hear everything they are saying from right over here.” Steve replied.

“What?” Felicity quickly sat up, looking at him shocked. “You can hear them from over here?”

Steve chuckled. “Yes, I do have slightly enhanced hearing and the jet is quiet. I can make out most of what they are saying. Anything I miss, I can always review later. Right now, all I want to do is sit here holding you.”

Felicity looked at him in disbelief. “Oh wow!” was all she could get out before lying back against his shoulder. “My boyfriend has super powers.” She mumbled to herself.

Steve pushed her gently away from him, staring at her intently. “Boyfriend?”

Felicity blushed. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

Frowning, Steve lifted her chin so she would look at him. “What are you apologizing for? I love it when you call me your boyfriend. Unless you don’t want me to be.”

“I just thought I was overstepping myself since we haven’t exactly put a name to us. And Steve, I already consider you my boyfriend. Remember, I told you I have no doubts.” Felicity didn’t want him to even think she was not committed to him. She gently nuzzled his neck before kissing it.

“Hey, you two over there. This jet will NOT be adding you both to the Mile High Club! At least not before Pepper and I get to it first.” Tony called out.

Felicity flushed red with embarrassment while Steve looked on confused. “What’s a Mile High Club?” he asked.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Tony smiled at him, showing teeth.

 

*

Felicity didn’t want all of them to head straight to the lair, but Tony was insistent. Digg had been equally unhappy at the situation but had agreed to call Oliver, telling him that they had guests and to meet him there. _Oliver is just going to love this, NOT_! She thought to herself as she sat beside Steve on the drive over.

They had split up into two cars with the plan of being as discreet and as hidden as they possibly could be. The lair was supposed to be at a secret location after all, and a small group of Avengers was kind of hard to miss.

Felicity, Steve and Tony had taken one car as they had a plausible explanation of being together. Well, Steve and Felicity did as the whole world knew they were dating now. Tony was just the nosy third party who would be all for paying a visit to a hot and happening place like Verdant. That was the cover story anyway.

Digg had figured that Clint, Sam and Maria were better able to sneak in undetected and he really wanted to get there before Felicity and Steve did, not knowing what Oliver’s reaction would be to seeing the both of them together. It was not going to be pretty.

Oliver and Sara were already at the lair when Digg walked in. “Who the hell are these people Digg?” he asked angrily, looking at three unfamiliar faces.

“Oliver, you need to know that this was not my idea, bringing guests. But we will be having a meeting with some of the Avengers today, and there is a good reason for it. Please, just wait till the rest get here and we’ll explain what has been happening.” Digg knew that Oliver was about to lose his temper and held up his hand. “Please Oliver. Trust me. This is serious.”

“Fine!” Oliver snapped and turned to walk across the room, turning his back to them. He didn’t bother asking who each person was. He supposed they would tell him soon enough and then they could all get the hell out of his lair. Sara went to stand beside him, her hand on his back, trying to quietly talk him down. He whirled around when he heard the door open again to see Felicity walk in. He was relieved and happy to see her until he saw that she was holding Steve’s hand. He gritted his teeth, clenching his fists by his side as he watched them come down the stairs.

“Ah, so we finally get to see your dark, rat infested hangout, Smoakie. Nice touch with the basement. I can just hear the dripping water and clanging pipes.” Tony said as he looked around curiously. “And you owe me ten bucks! I guessed the correct blonde.”

Felicity ignored Tony, closely watching Oliver’s expression. She knew he was livid and was worried what he would do. She held Steve’s hand tightly as she walked towards him. “Hi Oliver,” she said cautiously, knowing that the last time they had spoken, it had not ended well.

“Felicity, is this your idea? Bringing your new fling and his team here?” Oliver said nastily, making Felicity wince. _Great going Oliver. Why the hell are you taking it out on her?_ Oliver shook his head, regretting lashing out at Felicity immediately when he saw the hurt expression on her face. He would have tried again if he hadn’t seen Steve step in front of Felicity protectively.

“It was not her idea at all. It was ours. There is no need to take it out on either Felicity or Digg.” Steve said firmly.

Oliver watched Felicity place her hand on Steve’s shoulder with narrowed eyes before turning to look around the room at everyone there. “Fine. Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on then!” he ground out.

 

*

Introductions were made and Felicity had managed to squeeze in a moment to proudly show Tony and Steve her beloved babies. Tony was delighted and Steve… well Steve just thought that this was as confusing as the stuff that Tony had in his working lab.

Once Oliver and Sara had been given the details about what everyone had found out in Washington D.C., Oliver was asked about how he knew Slade and why he was here in Starling City. Oliver was not as forthcoming as everyone hoped. He didn’t trust this group of strangers, regardless of whether they were the Avengers or not. And he really did not like the way Steve and Felicity stood so closely together. It was pissing him off and he tried hard not to look in their direction.

“All you need to know is that it’s personal for Slade. I caused the death of the woman he loved and he wants revenge. I have no idea why he would be in the D.C. area, but if he’s there, it’s not good.” Oliver decided to tell them at least this much before falling silent.

Tony turned to Felicity, one eyebrow cocked. “Are you the only one in this team of yours that can actual hold more than a four sentence conversation? I mean really, maybe we should all invest in some public speaking courses here. It would sure help get the ball rolling. I could have more intellectual conversations with a five year old.”

When Oliver stepped forward threateningly, Digg placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him. “Ignore him. Tell us why Slade went to see your mother.”

“It was his way of telling me that he was here. My mother doesn’t know anything. Neither does Thea. And I want it to stay that way. I need them to be safe.” Oliver would make sure of it, no matter how.

Felicity walked up to him, laying a hand on his arm. “And we will keep them safe, Oliver. But to do that, we need to find out what he’s planning. Do you know if he is here alone?” she asked, thinking about the army that H.I.V.E. was trying to create. Would Slade think that he could take on Oliver by himself, or would he have some other form of back-up?

“I only saw him. But if I know Slade, he won’t be working on this alone. He will have help.” Oliver took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He needed to get out on the streets, to look for Slade and find where he was holed up.

“We’ll have to find out who or what his back-up is then. And I want to meet this Roy fellow. I need to know more about what this serum does.” Tony said, his mind turning.

“No! You leave Roy out of it!” Oliver didn’t want them going near the boy if they were going to be poking and prodding him. Roy had been through enough as it was.

“We do need to talk to him, understand what is happening to him and I need to be able to gauge his strength,” Steve thought he understood where Oliver was coming from. “We will not be experimenting on him. We might need to take some blood samples.” He turned to Tony, who nodded, confirming that he would not do any more than that.

Oliver knew he needed to work with the group standing in front of him. He didn’t like it, but he had to start trusting someone and it might as well start with them. “I’ll bring Roy to meet you tomorrow, but not here.”

“Let’s all get some rest. We can start planning the search early tomorrow morning.” Steve had always been the unspoken leader, the one who could best lead a group into a battle.

Seeing that Oliver was about to say something, Felicity quickly spoke up. “Where are we meeting? Here? Then we need more chairs and tables. I refuse to have any more meetings standing up.” Looking at how furious Oliver was becoming, she patted his arm soothingly. “Oliver, this is the best place for now. There are too many of us and meeting anywhere else would leave us too open. Plus, I have my babies here. I need them to be able to start the search. Please.”

Oliver gave a curt nod and said, “For now.” He hated it but he knew she was right. And whether he liked it or not, having the Avengers here would help him protect his loved ones. He would just have to deal with it.

Tony clapped his hands together. “Smoakie, I never thought you had it in you. But now I know I need to watch out, with all the men you have wrapped around your little finger. I will not be an addition to your harem.” He smiled at Digg’s snort, before continuing. “Okay boys and girls, it’s time to retire. I’ve booked us all hotel rooms, except for you Cap. I know where you are headed.”

Steve turned to stop Tony but Felicity had other ideas. “Nope, my boyfriend is staying with me today. I want you to see my place. Besides, no one will bother us as everyone thinks we are still in D.C. And I want you all to myself.” She kissed him gently and smiled when he nodded okay. “Can you wait for me for a while though? I would like to talk to Oliver. I won’t be long.” She asked.

“You go ahead. I’ll be right here.” Steve brushed his hand over her cheek before turning her in Oliver’s direction. He knew Oliver was angry and he hoped that he wouldn’t be talking to her in the same manner as when they first walked in. He went to sit at the far side of the room, so that he wouldn’t hear what they was saying, trying to give Felicity the privacy she wanted.

 

*

Oliver watched everyone leave and stared at Felicity as she walked towards him. He had felt a dull pain in his chest when he had seen Steve and Felicity standing together, somehow already intimate in their gestures. He had overheard that Steve would be staying with Felicity and had felt a sharp pang of jealousy. _She is not yours and that was your choice,_ he thought to himself, _and you chose Sara, who can better protect herself and who understands who you really are._ Oliver sighed. Yes, maybe Captain America would be much better for Felicity Smoak.

“Oliver,” Felicity was standing in front of him, her face hesitant. He remembered how he had ended their last phone call and felt bad that he had cut her off. “Are you okay? With Slade going to your home, seeing your mother, I mean.” She continued, wanting to know how he was feeling, knowing he was terrified for their safety. “We will find him and we’ll help you protect your family,” she continued, looking up at him with that sweet confident way of hers.

Oliver wanted right then to hold her close to him. But he looked up to see Sara staring at them, a strange look on her face and gave himself a mental shake. “I’m fine. Go be with your boyfriend and your new friends. I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said turning away from her.

“Oliver,” Felicity said, asking him to stop for a moment, “are we okay? I didn’t mean for everyone to come here. I know how you feel about people knowing your secret and I’m sorry.”

Oliver sighed and turned back to her. “We’re fine, Felicity. I know it’s not your fault that they found out. Go home and rest and I’ll see you tomorrow.” He watched her leave with Steve, feeling that ache again in his chest.

“Ollie, I’m going to go out and patrol a bit. Are you suiting up too?” Sara asked, already starting to collect her gear.

“Can I have a quick word first?” Oliver hadn’t noticed that Digg was still here, leaning against a table, watching him.

“Sara, you head on out. Let me know where you are and I’ll find you later.” Oliver didn’t like the look on Digg’s face but he wanted to resolve whatever was bothering Digg before he suited up.

Digg didn’t say anything till Sara had left the lair, and he sighed as he finally faced Oliver to talk. “What is going on with you, Oliver?” he asked.

“What do you mean Digg?” Oliver asked impatiently.

“You know what I mean. With Felicity.” Digg wanted to know why Oliver was taking it out on her, especially when Oliver knew that this was not her fault.

“I was just upset. She had been holding out on me.” Oliver bit out.

“You know that’s not true,” Digg immediately defended her. “She didn’t keep anything from you. But that’s not the reason why you are this upset with her, is it?” Digg looked at Oliver, willing him be honest with himself for once. When Oliver kept quiet, Digg shook his head disappointed. “You’re upset because she has found someone. He’s good for her, Oliver. And she’s happy. I’ve never seen her this happy. Maybe you should be happy for her too.” When Oliver continued to stay silent, Digg sighed and left. He really wanted to go home to see Lyla. He had really missed her.

 

*

Steve loved her home. It was all her. Bright, colourful, full of warmth and stuffed full with all the things she loved. He didn’t have time to explore it much though as the moment they had walked through the front door, she had jumped on him. Winding her legs around his waist, she had kissed him passionately and they had wound up on her couch with her on top of him, making out like it was their first time going at it.

“You’re a fantastic kisser, Steve Rogers.” She panted as she came up for air. “Where did you learn to kiss like that?”

“Oh, this blonde I know with the sweetest red lips and an adorable babble. She’s an amazing teacher. I’ve learnt a lot from her.” He said, his eyes twinkling as he looked up at her. Felicity looked amazing with her lips swollen from their kisses, her hair a waterfall around his face as she leaned over, the sweet scent of her shampoo swirling around and making him hard. He pressed down on her hips, grinding himself against her and they both moaned.

She climbed off him, laughing at how clumsy she was and took his hand, pulling him into her bedroom. Slowly undressing each other, they kissed the places that they had just discovered the other loved.

Steve pulled her to him and lifted her till her legs were wrapped around his waist. They both groaned as his length nudged her, no clothing between them. He laid her gently on the bed kissing from her lips down her chest to the valley between her legs. He hiked her legs up so that he could taste her, taking his time while she moaned and writhed. He loved the little sounds she made as he used his fingers and tongue to explore her and it didn’t take him long before he had her screaming as she came.

Felicity had found that Steve was still shy when it came to her wanting to give back to him. The unselfish way that he wanted to give only her pleasure never ceased to amaze her. This time, he let her roll him on his back, bucking as she licked and sucked at him. His fingers were very still in her hair, holding her close but not wanting to hurt her by pressing down. He didn’t let it go on for very long though, the effort of control too much for him.

She heard him whisper her name, the way he always said it whenever they were making love, and her heart clenched lightly. He pulled her up and she sat straddling him, rubbing herself against him. She wanted to be on top this time, seeing him falling apart, his face so beautiful to her. She took the condom that she had taken from her bag and rolled it over his throbbing length. Letting him glide over her entrance, they both groaned as she pushed down, sheathing him within her. He reached up to pull her down for a kiss, running his tongue over hers as he gently gripped her hips.

He stared up at her, his eyes a dark blue, as Felicity started to move over him. Rocking herself, she pushed down as he thrust up, causing a delightful friction. She rocked faster, before wanting to be closer to him. Leaned over, she supported herself above him, her nipples brushing his chest, sending new sparks through her. Moving his hands to her slit, he pulled her folds apart slightly, caused all the more friction as she moved up and down him.

It was too much, she had to be closer to him. She found his mouth, the heat of his tongue, wanting to surround herself with his taste. She couldn’t breathe but she didn’t care, wanting to just bind their mouths together as he swallowed the cries that were coming from her.

She felt the fire blossoming below, the insistent wonderful pressure as she felt her whole body start to tremble. “Steve, please, I’m going to come.” She didn’t know why she was begging. She only knew she needed him.

“I’m right here, sweetheart.” His voice tight as he moved them faster, helping hold her as he slammed her down, hitting her at the perfect point for the both of them. When she came, it was blinding, a flash of intense sensation and she called out his name, wanting to feel all that she could of him. She heard him shout her name, as if from a distance, and then a tingle of heated energy passed between them before she felt him pulse in her, finding his own release.

Collapsing onto him, they both lay there panting. “How did I manage to find someone as wonderful as you, Steve Rogers?” She smiled into the curve of his neck, smelling his sweat and that clean musky scent on his.

“I would ask the same question of you, sweetheart.” She could feel his smile when he kissed her forehead. Slowly, rolling off him and not wanting to leave his touch, she helped him dispose of the condom in a small trash close to her bed. She crawled half onto him, wanting to feel him under her still, before lightly kissing her way from his chest to his lips. Looking into his beautiful blue eyes, she stroked his face tenderly before giving him the softest of kisses. Wrapping her arms around him, she lay so her face was nuzzled against his. “I’m so glad you are here with me, Steve.”

He smiled as he pulled her closer, his nose in her hair. “Me too, Felicity. Me too.”

It was in that moment that she realized it. _I think I’m falling in love with him_. Looking back up, she stared at him, her eyes full of wonder. She didn’t want to tell him yet. It was too soon. So instead, as he gazed at her, she told him that he was like her personal miracle. She had never had a lot of good things happen to her before, but now she had him.

They fell asleep like that, him cradling her close, a smile on both their faces.


	14. Let's Talk

Notes:

* * *

This chapter was difficult. There were so many things that I’ve tried to cram in that if you come away confused, I will totally understand. Just know that it will all be answered (I hope) in some of the chapters following. My hope is that you will look back at this chapter and go “Oh, I see. That makes sense now.” Happy Reading! 

* * *

 

 

Oliver felt like his lair had been taken over. When Tony had walked into the lair this morning, he had brought with him what seemed like a truckload of equipment. How Stark had managed to hide and transport all this tech was beyond him so he asked Tony about it, concerned.

“It’s called camouflage. You know, delivery trucks that look like they might have boxes of liquor in them. I would have thought that you would know this. Although, maybe you can’t deal as you don’t have the muscles to carry the heavy load like our dear Captain over there,” Tony said, pointing at Steve. He had part of his Iron Man suit on and was busy putting machines together, or more like blasting things together. Oliver rolled his eyes and walked away, needing to find Sara, or Digg, or anything else that was familiar.

He refused to talk to Hawkeye, period. Maria Hill had spent the time conversing with everyone else but him, choosing to watch him appraisingly out the corner of her eye. He didn’t like being watched. He thought Sam was an okay guy, and he looked over to where Sam was chatting with Digg. Oliver was glad to see how close Sam and Digg were as friends. And Sam was the only one among them who had tried to have a friendly conversation with Oliver.

Tony Stark drove him to consider murder all over again. He hoped that he had been nothing like Tony in previous playboy billionaire mode and he would grit his teeth whenever he heard Tony’s voice call out from across the room. Yes, he needed to get far, far away from Stark or an arrow would go flying.

And then there was Steve. Handsome, gentlemanly Steve. Mr. Perfect himself who was always making goo-goo eyes at Felicity. Every time he saw them together, he wanted to throw something, shoot an arrow; do anything that would ensure that they moved apart. He didn’t care. He had never seen Felicity smile this way before. _Wait a minute. Yes, you have. Once upon a time._ He sighed as he admitted it to himself. Then shaking the thought off, he told himself that he needed to focus his attention on Sara instead. He turned to look at Sara, who had gone over to sit with Sam and Digg, before walking over and giving her a kiss.

“Ok, what’s up?” Sara asked, although it seemed like she already knew the answer to her question.

“It’s just too much.” Oliver said.

Sara understood though. Oliver was worried about Slade, Roy, the Avengers, the new threat of a super army, his lair been overtaken. Even Steve and Felicity’s new relationship. Sara looked over to where Steve and Felicity were bent over her computers, their heads close together and smiled. “I like Steve and he looks like a good match for Felicity,” she told Oliver. She wasn’t surprised that Oliver didn’t openly agree, but then Oliver had always been protective, especially when it came to Felicity. She just wasn’t sure why Oliver seemed so upset this time.

 

*

It hadn’t taken them long to set up all the new tech and Tony and Felicity were now busy syncing the communication of their programs.

“I’m in heaven,” Felicity said, swooning at everything before her. Her station was now three times the size, and Tony was standing somewhere on her right, pushing around data in what seemed like mid-air.

“Stop drooling and come here.” Tony pointed to a place beside him to which Felicity almost fell out of her seat to get to his side. “You can either swipe screens like this or type on these virtual keys,” he said demonstrating.

Felicity found it strangely wonderful, not having a solid object under her fingers when she typed. But her fingers flew faster than ever before and she couldn’t help herself as she whipped around to give Tony a massive hug. He hugged her back, laughing. “There’s more to come when you get to New York, Smoakie. I’m sure you and I will be thinking up some excellent adventures together.” He threw up his hands to mock defend himself when he saw Steve look his way. “I mean, in our heads. You cannot keep getting jealous Cap, whenever Felicity and I get down and dirty with science. It’s going to happen a lot! Physics and code have wonderful chemistry… they will make wonderful babies together.”

Felicity laughed. She was getting used to Tony and the mad nonsense he had running through that head of his. He was such a genius and she was floored by his creations. She definitely looked forward to joining his team and working with him. She smiled happily at Steve as he winked at her before heading to talk to Clint and Maria.

Her smile fell when she looked up to see Oliver standing in front of the station, a pained expression on his face. He had heard what Tony had said. She swallowed hard, knowing that she would have had to tell him sooner than later. Walking around to where he stood, she took his hand, leading him to a quiet corner of the room where they could talk.

“Oliver,” she started to say before he cut her off.

“Is it true?” He asked curtly.

“Yes.” She wanted desperately to explain but something about the way he was looking at her stopped her from saying more. She waited while he struggled with what he wanted to say.

“To be with Steve? Or is it because of something else?” He finally asked.

Felicity felt her chest constrict. What could she say to him that would make him understand? “Oliver, I believe in this team, in what we do and our mission. And I believe in you.” She paused and took another deep breath. “I know everything you have done up to now has been for your own reasons and I have trusted you and went with your decisions, even when I didn’t agree with some of the things you did. For example, you making me your Executive Assistant.”

“Felicity,” Oliver said her name in one of the many ways that only he could, with impatience and exasperation. “I’ve already explained why I did that.”

“Yes Oliver, you have. But you never thought to ask me before you decided. You never do. And had you asked, you may have been surprised as to what I would have thought up. You took my life out of my hands and now I’ve decided to take it back. So yes, I’m going to New York. Partly because of Steve but also partly because I need to fight for what I want in life. I’ll stay here till we find Slade and stop him from hurting you and everyone around you. After that, Digg and Sara will be enough for the team. I can always help you too, from New York, if you need. I’ll set up something on my babies here and train Sara and Digg to manage. You won’t even notice I’m gone.” Felicity said, thinking of how left out she had felt when she looked at Oliver, Digg and Sara training and chatting together.

Oliver looked toward the ceiling, hearing the hidden hurt beneath her words. “Felicity, I never meant for you to feel that way. I never meant to make you feel that you were not important. You are important. You will always be my girl.” He wasn’t sure why he had said that and he didn’t want to explore what he had meant.

Felicity tilted her head and smiled at him. “I know I will always be your girl. I mean, not that kind of YOUR girl because right now, I’m actually Steve’s girl. And I don’t think he will like it for me to be anything like your ‘girl’ girl.” She hoped he understood what she was saying as it made total sense in her head. _And why does Oliver have such a weird expression on his face?_ Felicity wondered before shaking the thought off.

“We’ll talk about this again. We’re not done.” Oliver was back to being abrupt and Felicity nodded, her face falling, before going back her computers and the searches she working on. He looked up to see Steve looking back at him, his face hard and thoughtful. Oliver wondered if Steve had heard his conversation with Felicity. _Nah. He’s too far away. There’s no way he could have heard any of that,_ he thought to himself before going to look for Tony. They would have to leave soon to meet with Roy.

 

*

Oliver had made arrangements for Roy to meet him at the mansion. Steve and Tony were with him and Sara had tagged along as a somewhat familiar face for Roy. Also, they could keep up the pretense of Steve and Tony being in Starling City together, as a guest of Oliver Queen.

Roy was starstruck when he met the two Avengers. He had heard Thea commenting on Felicity Smoak and how she couldn’t believe her brother’s EA had managed to hook up with Captain America himself. He was happy that he had the opportunity to meet them until he heard what they had to say.

“You want to what? Take my blood and send me back to lab in New York? I am not going to be locked up like some sort of freak guinea pig! I didn’t ask for any of this. This is not me. I’m not me!” Roy was getting increasingly worked up and Oliver looked on worried.

“We are not going to lock you up, Roy. You will be free to roam around your rooms as you see fit unless you are experiencing something you cannot control. Then Bruce will have to use whatever necessary measures needed till you can control yourself again.” Steve assured him. “But, we are hoping that it will not come to that. You seem to be doing fine right now.”

“I want you to tell us what you remember about what was done to you and how you felt through everything. I also want to know how you are feeling now. Do you feel like you see green, want to split come clothes up, beat your chest a little?” Tony asked as Roy looked at him like he had grown two heads.

“What Tony is trying to say is that the more information you give him, the more he and Bruce will have to go on that will help find a cure.” Steve said, shooting Tony a warning look.

Roy looked toward Oliver and Sara. Oliver nodded at him to go ahead while Sara just looked on, silent. “I don’t remember much, just being injected with something, incredible pain and then blacking out. I don’t know how long I was out but when I awoke, I found blood on my face, like I had been bleeding. I had no cuts and no wounds. Now, I feel stronger and faster somehow. Everything seems clearer, sharper like I have some form of laser focus on things. I can hear better, see better, every sense seems heightened. I don’t know how to explain it. But I also feel a lot of anger. I don’t know where it’s coming from or why I’m angry. It scares me and there are times I feel like it takes over, like my mind is taking over. I don’t know how to describe it. It’s getting worse every day, like something else is growing in me and I’m losing myself.” Roy stopped, sounding scared.

“Yup! Sounds like we are going to see an alien chest burster sometime soon.” Tony nodded, his face serious.

Steve looked dispassionately at Tony, his mind whirling. “It sounds like what I’ve experienced but yet not quite the same. I definitely want us to send Bruce your blood samples, but is it alright if you and I do some quick physical tests, like running, jumps and some strength tests? I want to see what you mean by your increased strength and better senses.”

Roy nodded. He felt he could trust Steve, much more than the crazy Tony Stark anyway. Steve asked Oliver to lead the way to a place where they could safely run the tests, without the curious eyes of the Queen household looking on.

 

*

Digg and Sam had gone to purchase some supplies for the lair and buy back lunch for everyone. Felicity found herself enjoying Clint and Maria’s company. With everyone else gone, she now had the opportunity to get to know them better.

She found that Maria, although pragmatic and very much by the book, had an impressive knowledge of the Dr. Who television series and they had had an in-depth discussion of who their favourite Doctor was. Felicity thought that they just might become friends. _It would be nice to have at least one female friend when I move to New York_ , she thought to herself.

Clint on the other hand, although quiet, had a wicked sense of humor and a sharp wit. He was more talkative when Tony was not around, but she wasn’t sure why. _Maybe it’s because Tony just won’t be quiet. But then neither can I,_ she mused. In any case, she liked him and he seemed accepting of her. He now sat next to her, looking through some of the information and searches she had collated on her screens.

“What sectors of the city have you checked to see if you can find any sign of Deathstroke.” Clint asked, pulling up maps so he could familiarize himself with the area.

“I’m running searches throughout the Glades, especially for any abnormal activity. Cameras are being monitored and we will get alerts if anything comes up. I’ve also checked for any extraordinary utilization of power or any kind of odd leaks on the power grid throughout the entire city. Nothing has come up yet.” Felicity was becoming frustrated with the lack of results.

Maria joined them, looking through the information. “They might not be using much power. They might be going old school and not using any technology or unnecessary electricity. We can try heat signatures. Jarvis?” Maria called out to the A.I.

“Yes, Ms Hill?” Jarvis’s response was immediate.

“Can you run an alternative search for additional heat signatures in buildings throughout the city that are supposed to be under utilized. Anything that is ten to twenty percent more than what should be normal. Let me know when you have a list.” Maria instructed.

Felicity looked at Maria, her mouth hanging open. “You guys can do that? How? There are thousands of buildings in the city.”

“Yes, Jarvis can run a search pretty fast but this really is a long shot. There will be hundreds of buildings on this list. You may have to run some other kind of program to check the shortlist.” Maria warned her.

Felicity was ecstatic. “I’m going to SO love my new job working with you guys!” She told them happily.

“Well, anyone who can get Cap to smile the way you do and who is as brilliant is always welcome on our team.” Clint gave her a quick smile before going to check on some equipment.

“I agree with Barton. I don’t think I’ve seen Captain Rogers smile the way he does now since the time he woke up. It is very nice to see.” Maria said, smiling.

 

*

“The media knows you are both in town. I think we need to find alternative lodgings for the both of you. And maybe for some of us.” Clint said to Steve and Felicity as soon as everyone was back at the lair.

Steve agreed, knowing that the media would probably stake out Felicity’s place. They could not have everyone constantly following them around. Nor could there be any reason for anyone to wonder why Clint, Maria and Sam were there either.

“Well, I can’t put you up at the mansion either for the same reasons.” Oliver said, thinking there was also no way he could handle the knowledge that Felicity and Steve were sleeping together in a room while under the same roof as him.

“I’ll find us something.” Felicity said thinking that they would need some kind of apartment with private access and parking, away from prying eyes. She was probably the best person to do it anyway, knowing the city and the distance everyone would have to travel, for example to the lair. She was mentally hugging herself while smiling, thinking that she would be spending the next few nights or even weeks sharing a room with Steve. Looking up, she saw him smiling at her, as if he could read her mind and knew what she was thinking. _Oh yes, I can’t wait._ She grinned.

“Should I be going back to QC anytime soon then?” Felicity asked. “You know, keep up normal appearances. I am still your EA and people will wonder if I don’t show up.”

“Aren’t you technically still on vacation?” Tony asked. “No one would think any worse of you if Capsicle and you disappeared for another week. They would just think of it as the ‘I really just need to get to know all of you’ honeymoon phase.”

Both Felicity and Steve’s faces turned a funny shade of red. Oliver didn’t even smile when everyone else laughed. In fact, he felt the need to hit something. He felt a hand on his and turned to see Sara looking at him. “I’m just not used to this kind of talk,” he whispered to her and she nodded her understanding. He wasn’t sure if she believed him. Hell, he still didn’t know if he believed himself.

 

*

Felicity managed to find accommodation for them all within a few hours. It had actually been quite easy using fake names and an account that Tony had provided. It was a very large two storey penthouse with five bedrooms, a private elevator and an impressive security system within the building. The one thing that she hadn’t considered were access points and escape routes. _Well normal people don’t think of such thing, s_ he tried to persuade herself. Steve and Clint had carefully looked over the floor plans before agreeing that it was a good choice.

Everyone planned to move their stuff over this evening after all rental details had been confirmed, and Felicity was not sure if she was excited or sad to be leaving her home to stay with them. She was now seated setting up various scans and alerts when Sara joined her.

“Hey. Anything new?” Sara asked looking at the screens.

“If you’re talking about Slade, then no.” Felicity didn’t look up, her fingers flying over the keyboard, totally focused on the task at hand.

“Then how about everything else?” Sara asked.

Felicity noticed her tone and turned to her. “What do you mean?”

“Your new boyfriend. Your move to New York. You working with Stark. I’m sure there’s more new things happening that I have not mentioned yet.” Sara said.

Felicity wasn’t sure what Sara was getting at. She wasn’t expressing either sadness or happiness or any other emotion for that matter. _This is why Oliver and you are a good fit._ They seemed to understand each other and their relationship was complicated, although they didn’t share with anyone else what had passed between them. “None for now. But I’ll tell you when I have more things happening. I mean on the moving front. And with Slade. Although I would have to tell you anyway as the whole team would need to know if Slade did anything.” Felicity was rambling, but that was because Sara was making her feel awkward. She still didn’t understand Sara although she liked her well enough. She was definitely way nicer than Laurel Lance.

Sara nodded and walked away when Steve came over. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Nothing’s wrong. Why do you ask?” Felicity was confused.

Steve sat down beside her and leaned closer. “You had a strange look on your face while you were talking to Sara. I thought something was the matter.”

Felicity smiled at her sweet guy. “No silly, we were just talking. She was asking about all the changes that are happening in my life. I just found it strange as I didn’t think we were really close. Her asking surprised me. But then, she may have been asking because of Oliver.”

“What has it got to do with Oliver?” Steve asked, curious. He remembered the talk Oliver and Felicity had that morning. He hadn’t meant to eavesdrop but the conversation and the expression on Oliver’s face had unsettled him, and he had paid attention to what was being said.

“Oliver never asks the questions he really wants to know the answers to. Perhaps Sara wanted to know so that she could give him some answers, when the time was right.” Felicity wasn’t sure but she was hoping it was a good guess. “But thank you for coming over and checking on me,” she said smiling and gave him a quick kiss.

Steve pulled her chair closer, brushing his knees against hers. “I’ll always want to make sure you’re okay, sweetheart.” He didn’t say more, just kissed her nose and went back to what he had been doing before he had come over. But that one little comment was the reason Felicity had a smile on her face for quite a while afterward.


	15. Your New Team

Notes:

* * *

You cannot imagine how amazed I am that you are all still here with me. I have a silly smile on my face with every kudo and every wonderful comment I receive. Thank you so much for all the love! I thought I’d share a little tidbit of information today. I wrote the last part of this chapter to Bodyrock by Moby. Needed the auditory boost! So in case you want to reread to music… there you go. Enjoy!

* * *

 

Digg was on his way back to meet Lyla. He had missed her when he was away and on coming back to Starling City, he had not seen much of her with all that was going on. So he was looking forward to spending some quality time with her. He had not been expecting to have company when he walked through his door to see Amanda Waller there.

“What are you doing here?” Digg asked, not at all happy to see her.

“I have an offer for you, Diggle.” Waller said, her face cool. “We know that Deathstroke is in Starling City and that he has met with Oliver Queen. Whatever he wants with Queen is between them and A.R.G.U.S. will not get involved in a personal vendetta. However, we have reason to believe that Deathstroke is planning something more and not just in this city. We are setting up a new task force to deal with this threat, a team of experts like yourself and Lyla. I’m here to ask you to join us.”

Digg looked at Waller carefully before turning to Lyla. “You’ve accepted this new assignment?” he asked her.

“Yes.” Digg could see Lyla was sure.

Digg nodded. “I need time to think about this. I’ll get back to you.”

“You have two hours. Things are happening and we need to move soon. Lyla will contact me with your answer.” Waller was abrupt as she left.

“John,” Lyla said, going up to him, “you want to help Oliver, and this is a good way to do it. Joining this task force will give you the information you need. Not only that, we also have to think about the bigger picture. What are H.I.V.E. and Deathstroke up to? This is a way for both of us to help.”

“Lyla, you know how I feel about A.R.G.U.S.” Digg was concerned but he knew that Lyla was right. Everyone was working on finding Slade and this was a way to help. What he stood for. He didn’t want to be on another team but he trusted Lyla’s judgement and her being on the team said a lot. So he nodded his acceptance, hoping that he wouldn’t regret it.

Less than an hour later, he found himself at A.R.G.U.S. headquarters meeting with his new team. He wondered how this night had turned from being a romantic night out with Lyla to sitting here waiting to meet a group of strangers whom he would now have to work with.

He stood as the door opened, his face turning angry when he saw who walked through the door with Waller. “John Diggle, meet the members on your new task force. Ben Turner, Max Scheffer and Floyd Lawton, a.k.a. Bronze Tiger, Shrapnel and Deadshot.”

“Give me a break. This ain’t no task force. Let’s call it like it is. Welcome to the Suicide Squad.” Deadshot said, his tone mocking.

Digg lurched forward, wanting to grab him but Lyla held him back. “This is not what I signed up for. I will not work with the man who killed my brother!” he spat out angrily.

“It was nothing personal.” Floyd looked back at Digg, his tone not in the least apologetic.

“Can you give us a minute?” Lyla asked, knowing that she had to calm Digg down and talk to him.

When they left the room, Lyla turned to Digg who was standing with his hands clenched, his face red from anger. “No! Just NO! And you knew didn’t you? That he would be on this task force and you didn’t tell me!” Digg yelled, absolutely livid.

Lyla put her hand on his. “John. I know that I must be crazy to ask this of you. And I’m so sorry. I really am. But the world is a complicated place and it’s only going to get more complicated soon. I needed to do this. We need to do this. Do you understand? I would not ask this of you otherwise.”

“I can’t believe that you would do this to me. I need to be alone. Don’t follow me.” Digg walked out needing time to be by himself, to get over the anger he was feeling and to think.

 

*

Oliver was standing on a rooftop, waiting, when Waller appeared. “What did you want?” he growled at her, not bothering to use his voice modulator.

“I’m surprised you agreed to meet me. Still mad at me I see. No plans to kill me yet? ” Waller answered.

“You’ve moved down the list.” Oliver said, impatient.

“Good to know. I’m here as a courtesy to let you know I’ve recruited John Diggle onto a new task force to deal with Deathstroke and whatever he is planning in Starling. But you need to know I’m not helping you. Whatever is going on between you and Deathstroke is yours to own.”

“I didn’t ask you for your help.” Oliver hid his surprise. Digg and him would need to have a talk about him joining her team, but before he could say anything further, his phone rang.

It was Slade. “So, are you coming to the party?”

“What party?” Oliver growled. So, Slade was putting his plan in motion, now was he?

“The Benefit. And I’m sure I’ll see you there, Oliver.” Slade cut off the call before Oliver could ask anything more.

Oliver turned to Waller who was waiting for him to end the call. “I guess you need to gear up your task force. Deathstroke is going to be at the Humanitarian Benefit tomorrow night. He probably won’t be alone. Be prepared.” When she nodded, he left quickly, needing to go back to the lair. They needed to prepare for what was coming.

 

*

Felicity was going to be at the Benefit with Steve. There had been a long disagreement about her going as both Steve and Oliver had felt that it would not be safe. “I told you that I don’t want you out in the field.” Steve had been extremely upset and had tried hard to convince her not to go.

However, Tony had argued that both Steve and Tony needed her to be their excuse for being at the ball as Steve’s date and Oliver Queen’s Executive Assistant, showing them a good time as Oliver’s guests. Tony argued that they were the Avengers and obviously Steve and everyone else would be able to keep her safe. Maria would be able to handle comms with Jarvis’s help and if necessary, Felicity could find a place where she could help on her phone, if it came to that. _Darn it. A tablet won’t fit into my clutch._ She doubted that she could do much on her phone but she would try.

Digg had told them about his decision to join the Suicide Squad, well at least while dealing with Slade while he was in Starling City. He was not happy about it and Felicity felt bad for him, seeing how he was struggling with his decision to work with the man who had taken away his brother. He had told them the Squad would be at the Benefit but he didn’t explain more, perhaps not knowing all the details yet.

Oliver and Sara would be there as a couple, using the Oliver Queen and girlfriend persona. They needed to be visible since Steve and Tony were accompanying them as their guests. Sam and Clint would be hidden somewhere nearby. Felicity guessed that they needed lookouts outside the building where the Benefit was being held, covering all bases. They would have everyone’s gear with them too, in case it was needed. They all felt they were ready for what was coming.

Felicity walked out of the bedroom that she and Steve were now sharing in the Penthouse, fidgeting from nervous excitement. Making her way downstairs, she peeked at Tony and Steve, who were both looking very handsome in tuxedos, going over last minute details.

Tony whistled as she came down the stairs and Steve stood very still, his gaze on her, looking shell shocked.

“Who knew you could clean up so good, Smoakie? My, my. I’m sure Cap is having a heart attack over here. I can see the sweat, the heavy panting, the weird eyes.” Tony smirked.

“You look stunning!” Steve managed to finally say, pulling Felicity to him and kissing her lightly on the mouth, careful not to smear her lipstick. He wanted to devour her. This was the first time he had seen her in formal attire. His gaze ran over the red gown that clung to her soft curves, the long smooth legs he could see through the slits of her dress and the red lipstick she had on which was leaving him feeling quite hot under the collar. He was definitely going to have a hard time focusing on whatever was going to happen tonight.

“Thank you. You don’t look to bad yourself.” Felicity said throatily, running her fingers over the lapels of his tuxedo, before smiling at Tony tut tutting at them.

 

*

Steve noticed the way Oliver looked at Felicity and him when they arrived at the ball. The expression on Oliver’s face had been fleeting but it wasn’t a look he liked. _I’m going to have to find out what is going on in Oliver Queen’s mind,_ he thought to himself.

Steve kept Felicity beside him all evening, his hand either on the small of her back or pulling her close to him. Quite a few people stopped to greet both him and Tony, curious to meet the two Avengers. He let Tony do most of the socializing, still not comfortable making small talk with strangers and he spent the time with Felicity while scanning the room, looking for the danger he knew was lurking.

He had seen Digg standing in a corner with another man. They were there as bodyguards but Digg’s eyes were equally alert and watchful. He didn’t see anyone else from Digg’s new team, but they had to be somewhere hidden, thinking, _They must be good if even I can’t see them._

He watched Oliver making his way around the room with Sara, both of them wearing fake smiles. Sara looked uncomfortable and he wondered if it was because she was not used to dressing up and socializing with high society either. She hadn’t seemed the type to him. Felicity had mentioned Laurel, Sara’s sister, and how she was more suited to this crowd than Sara. Steve was not impressed that Oliver had dated sisters. He didn’t understand how that could be considered principled.

He noticed Felicity swaying gently to the music next to him and asked her, “Would you like to dance?”

“You mean you can dance?” Felicity asked, a little surprised.

“Of course I can. Not well though, so I don’t do it often. I just need to have the right dance partner to dance with.” He smiled down at her, taking her hand in his and pulling her to the dance floor. He held her to him, feeling her body move with his to the rhythm, his cheek to her hair. Closing his eyes, he took a moment to just be happy and content with her.

They were interrupted by the sounds of shots fired and screams coming from across the ballroom. Steve pulled Felicity to a wall, pushing her behind him protectively while scanning the room for the source of the screams. Tony was running toward him, trying to avoid being mowed over by people panicking, trying to get to an exit. Looking around, he saw Oliver pull Sara out a door and disappear, probably to get their gear.

With the room quickly emptying, Steve was relieved that no one had actually been shot. Some of the guests were trapped in a corner of the ballroom, surrounded by a group of eight men, some holding guns.

A huge man with an eyepatch and carrying a sword, probably the leader of the group, turned to smirk at both him and Tony. “What do we have here? Captain America and Ironman. Have you come to pay me a visit? I was actually expecting to meet with another old friend today. But I guess he left the party.” Steve guessed that this was Slade Wilson, otherwise known as Deathstroke.

“Well, I for one never miss out on a good party. And why do I have a feeling you were expecting us?” Tony replied instead.

“Oh. I’ve wanted to meet you for a while now Tony Stark. And the good ole Captain too. Let me introduce myself. The name’s Deathstroke.” Slade smiled, “and these here are some of my good friends,” he said, gesturing towards the small group accompanying him, who were dressed like soldiers. “Boys, how about you introduce yourselves personally. Don’t be shy now.” Slade laughed.

Steve didn’t hesitate, lifting Felicity up in his arms, he shouted at Tony, “We need to take this outside,” before running toward the main exit, knowing Tony would be right behind them. “Guys, we’re coming out. Get me my shield.” He called out through his comms to Hawkeye and Falcon.

Carrying Felicity to the safest place he could find, Steve said anxiously, “Felicity. I want you to stay here and not move. I’ll come back to get you as soon as I can.” Backing her up against the wall, he knew that she was within everyone’s line of sight, protected.

Not wanting to make him anymore worried, she nodded. “I promise. Go get them.” She gave him a quick kiss, watching him run off towards Tony, whose suit was whizzing towards him and assembling before her eyes. _Okay. Tony as Ironman is impressive._ She quickly dug her phone out of her evening clutch while listening to the quick instructions that Maria was barking out over the comms. Looking up, she watched open mouthed as the Avengers fought. _Wow! Just Wow!_

Ironman was a red streak, rockets blasting as he took a hold of one of Slade’s men and tried to slam him to the ground but his suit was grabbed instead. He shot up in the air breaking lose and spun around quickly, shooting back down before slamming into the soldier, knocking him off balance, throwing a quick punch to his face. When the soldier didn’t stay down, Ironman blasted him with his pulsars, feet firmly planted. “You just can’t stay down, can you?” he asked with surprise, watching as the soldier got to his feet again. “Okay, well, let’s make this more fun!”

Falcon swooped down, throwing Steve his shield. “Okay, those wings are impressive.” Felicity mumbled to herself as she watched him fly back up in the air, his wings and body spinning before slamming himself into a soldier.

“Darn right they are.” Sam gasped back, having heard Felicity over his comms. He tried lifting the soldier off the ground, but had to let go when the soldier grabbed him and twisted. “Okay, these guys are crazy strong!” he shouted, streaking up out of harm’s way, circling once and executing a crazy spinning dive towards his opponent.

Hawkeye had let lose a torrent of arrows, all of them hitting their mark. But the soldiers didn’t seem to be affected, even with arrows sticking out of them. “Falcon, get me down there,” he called out and within seconds, he was being lifted to the ground, fighting hand to hand. Felicity had never seen Hawkeye fight before and seeing him somersault into the air onto a soldier’s shoulders whilst trying to stab him with a knife was impressive. Hawkeye jumped off, kicking in midair, and slammed his foot into the soldier’s chest, knocking him down. He back flipped, his foot kicking out and rammed the soldier in the stomach as he got back up.

Oliver and Sara had arrived, suited up and fighting a soldier each. Felicity watched them worriedly, as they didn’t seem to be making much progress. With her Bo staff whirling, Sara slammed it into the soldier again and again, but he blocked her blows each time. Oliver’s punches and kicks didn’t seem to be making a dent either, and Felicity lurched forward, crying out as Oliver was slammed against a wall in a choke hold. Oliver raised his fists in the air before slamming it down onto the arms holding him, managing to release himself and moving away before shooting three arrows into the soldier’s chest, finally bringing him down.

Felicity heard gunshots and she could see Digg, Lyla and others fighting off in the distance. “Please be safe,” she whispered, knowing that if the Avengers were having trouble, then Digg and Lyla were no match for these suped up soldiers.

Steve was having trouble himself fighting Deathstroke, who was slashing at him with his sword, his speed and strength well matched against Captain America. As Deathstroke lunged at him, Steve ducked and kicked out, slamming his foot into Slade’s knee. Slade rolled and sprang up, slicing his blade, and just narrowly missing Steve’s leg.

Felicity watched dumbfounded as Steve somersaulted in the air and scissor kicked Deathstroke, bringing him to the ground. “Wow! That’s my man out there!” She gasped out as she watched Captain America bring his shield down onto Slade’s arm, making him drop his sword before throwing it toward two other soldiers. His shield bounced off both soldiers knocking them down before ricocheting off a wall back to Steve who caught it immediately. Steve executed a midair cartwheel, kicking Slade in the face before throwing a series of fast punches at Slade, who managed to block each one of them.

As Felicity watched Steve, the chaos over the comms was overwhelming, with each person on her team calling out to each other. She was trying to type as fast as she could over her phone so that she could help and failed to notice the soldier approach her from the side but Steve did. He threw his shield toward the soldier, fighting desperately to rid himself of Deathstroke so that he could get to her. His shield slammed into the soldier, but it bounced off against a wall and fell to the ground as the soldier got up, continuing to advance toward her.

“Felicity!” he yelled out, knowing he would not be able to get to her in time. “No!”


	16. Feeling Insecure

Notes:

* * *

Life is going to get in the way of updates over the next few days and I didn’t want to leave you hanging too long. I’m always thankful that you are enjoying this story with me. So happy reading and let me know what you think! Enjoy!

* * *

 

Hearing Steve yell out, Felicity swung around to see the soldier advancing on her. She looked around desperately, but Steve was too far away, struggling to get to her. Knowing she needed to run, she took off, trying to get to a safe place. She knew she couldn’t outrun the soldier but she needed to try, praying silently that Steve would be able to reach her.

She felt someone grab onto her skirt tearing it, and then someone fly past her, before she was lifted into the air. “I’ve got you! Hold on tight!” Falcon yelled, as he lifted her up.

“Sam!” Felicity was relieved, looking down to see the soldier who Sam had kicked to the ground as had tried to grab her. That relief didn’t last long as she found herself being carried higher. “This is worse than parachuting with Digg!” she screamed as Sam veered toward a rooftop, gently putting her down.

“Stay here! I’ll be back.” Falcon said as he went back to help the team. As he flew back, he watched as Slade and his miniature army retreated, running off. “Hey, where are you going?” he called out, as they disappeared.

Steve was looking around frantically. “Where is Felicity?” he yelled out.

“Hold on buddy, I’ll go get her for you.” Sam said before flying Felicity back to where everyone was standing, lowering her safely to the ground.

Steve rushed up to Felicity, grabbing her and pulling her to him. “Felicity. Are you okay? Did they hurt you?” He looked her over desperately, running his hands up and down her, looking for any injuries.

“I’m fine, Steve. I’m fine.” She told him before she was pulled into his arms again, her face buried in his chest. She could feel him trembling as she hugged him. “Hey. Hey. I’m fine, Steve. Look at me. I’m fine. I’m not hurt,” she tried to smile at him, taking his face in her hands before he crushed her to him, kissing her wildly.

Oliver looked on, remembering how he had seen Felicity in danger and had tried to get to her himself. He watched them as Steve made sure Felicity was fine and saw the desperation on Steve’s face as Felicity reassured him that she wasn’t hurt. _He’s in love with her_ , Oliver realized, his heart hurting. _I’ve lost her to him_.

Oliver turned away and walked off, trying to mask the pain he was feeling. He went to search for Digg, wanting to make sure that he and Lyla were fine and not hurt.

No one realized that Slade was hidden, watching Oliver from a distance.

 

*

They all managed to get back to the lair, a little bruised and very pissed off.

“What the hell was that? We didn’t even manage to really hurt any of them.” Clint was furious.

“What? Your mean your puny arrows didn’t make any kill shots?” Tony was equally mad.

Clint swung towards him, ready to retort, before Steve interrupted them. “The serum is making them too strong. They were almost as strong as me. Especially Deathstroke. We need to think of something and fast.”

Oliver spoke up, his voice quiet. “He knew you all would be there. I think he was testing us, trying to find out how well you managed to fight against him. That’s why he didn’t stay and finish what he started and the reason he pulled his soldiers out of there that fast.”

Steve nodded his agreement. “It seems like that was what he was trying to do. They didn’t even try to use the guns they had to hurt us. We have to find out what he is planning and a way to fight those soldiers.”

“I think we need to get Roy to Bruce. It’s crucial that we find a cure or at least a way to lessen the effects of the serum.” Tony said. “I’m calling Bruce. I’ll see what he thinks we should do.” Tony walked off to a corner so he could make the call.

Steve pulled Felicity closer to him so that she was resting against him. He was still tense, thinking about how she had almost been hurt earlier. “I think we need to call Natasha in. Thor too. We are going to need all the help we can get. I’m concerned about what they are up to. Why test us unless they need to know how to attack or defend against us?”

Oliver was thoughtful. He had assumed that Slade was here only for him. He couldn’t understand why Slade had lured them out for a fight only to retreat. _What was going on?_ he wondered. He watched Steve with Felicity, glad that at least she was in good hands and protected. But he was also worried about Sara. They hadn’t stood a chance against the soldiers and if Slade hadn’t retreated, both he and Sara would have been more badly hurt. For once, he was glad that the Avengers had been there, fighting by his side.

Oliver hoped that Digg and Lyla were alright. He had seen them limping off and he guessed that they had gone back to A.R.G.U.S. to debrief. He was sure that Digg would call him later and then he could discuss plans with him. He needed to make sure his team was safe, regardless whether the Avengers were here on not.

Tony returned, his face serious for once. “Bruce is flying down and I’ve asked Natasha to accompany him. He feels that it would be faster to try to do the tests and run trials here, rather than sending Roy to him. He’s going to bring the equipment he needs so we are going to have to set up some space for it. And Roy needs to be here.” Turning to Oliver, he pointed a finger at him. “I don’t want any arguments.”

Oliver couldn’t say no. It was the only plan they had for the moment.

 

*

Guessing that Slade would not try anything else that night, they had gone back to the penthouse to clean themselves up and to get some rest.

The moment they walked into their bedroom, Steve turned Felicity and pushed her against the wall, his kiss desperate. He lifted Felicity up so that she had to try to wrap her legs around him, but her dress got in the way. “Steve,” she gasped out as he moved to kiss her neck before sucking on her. “You need to put me down so I can get this dress off.”

Lowering her to her feet, he looked down at her, noticing that her dress was ripped and dirty. He heaved a sigh, running his hands up arms before turning her so he could help her unzip her dress. Maybe the dress could still be saved although he doubted it. She stepped out of it and slipped off her heels, before hugging Steve to her.

Picking her up, he moved them to the bed, gently lowering her down and stripping the both of them of the rest of their clothes. He lay beside her and pulled her to him, burying his face in the curve of her neck, not moving but just holding her, silent.

“Steve, look at me. Please.” Felicity gently tugged at him, trying to lift his face. When he eventually looked at her, his eyes held pain and remorse and she felt her heart hurt. “Hey, I’m here. I’m okay. I’m not hurt. Please Steve.” She was terrified that he would decide to push her away to protect her. She couldn’t lose Steve now. Not to this.

“I can’t stop thinking about how I almost lost you today. How I couldn’t get to you to protect you. I’m so sorry.” Steve’s voice was raw with emotion.

Felicity began to stroke his hair, trying to comfort him. “But you didn’t lose me. I’m not hurt in any way. I’m here. I’m okay. It wasn’t your fault.”

“I was terrified Felicity. I still am. I can’t lose you.” Steve’s voice broke, just thinking about the unthinkable.

“You will not lose me. I’m not going anywhere. And I believe in you, Steve. No matter what, you will always be there for me, protecting me, just as I will be there for you. Always.” Felicity shifted downward so that she was eye to eye with Steve. So that he could see the truth in what she was saying. He needed to know that she wouldn’t be leaving him.

Steve caught her lips in a frantic kiss, rolling them so that he was on top of her. He needed to feel every part of her under him, their skin touching as he kissed her, his tongue seeking comfort within the warm confines of her mouth. He couldn’t get enough through just kissing her and he travelled to her ear, nipping and licking. He made his way down to her breasts, rolling his tongue around each of her nipples, before biting down gently. As Felicity bucked up against him, he reached down to rub her gently with his fingers before plunging them into her. She was already so wet and he couldn’t wait. He needed to join them, to feel her alive and connected to him. He rubbed himself against her before pushing in, feeling her warmth surrounding him, reassuring him that she was safe.

Felicity moaned as he started to thrust. He wasn’t as gentle as he usually was, but she didn’t care. She was as emotionally exhausted as him and needed him as much as he needed her. As he moved faster, she found herself clinging to him, her cries getting louder as she sought his mouth, needing to feel his lips on hers.

He moved his fingers to rub her clit as he plunged into her, knowing that he was not going to last much longer but needing her to come first. Lifting her hips with his other hand, he tilted her so that he could hit the spot that would send her over the edge, knowing when he found it by her increasingly loud cries. As he continued to thrust deeper, he felt her muscles clamp down on him before fluttering, her moans more intense before she jerked up and bit down on his shoulder, trying to smother her scream as she came. He slammed into her a few more times before bringing his mouth back to hers, crying out as he exploded into her, coming harder than he had ever done before.

He didn’t pull out after, but rolled them slightly so that he wasn’t resting his entire body weight on her. He buried his face in her neck again, arms around her, just breathing in her scent.

Felicity kissed his head and held him close, caressing him, whispering softly to him that she was okay and she was here, again and again. She fell asleep that way, trying to make sure that he was the one that was alright, knowing how terrified he had been.

Steve didn’t sleep at all that night. He lay awake, holding Felicity as close as he could, his nose and lips pressed against her soft skin, just needing to feel her in every way possible. He needed to know that he could protect her. He couldn’t lose her. Not now. Not after everything else.

 

*

Waking up the next morning, Felicity found herself really sore. She wasn’t sure if it was from running from being grabbed at by the crazies as she now called them, or from Steve’s wonderfully passionate but desperate lovemaking. She stretched a little to test how she felt before realizing that she was pinned to the bed, unable to move. Turning her head, she found herself staring into Steve’s eyes, still wounded and still very sad.

Stroking his face, she asked him, “Did you sleep?” When he shook his head, she sighed and gathered him to her, even closer than he already was. “Steve, how can I help you?”

“By being safe.” He mumbled, not looking away.

“You aren’t going to tell me that I’m not safe with you, are you?” Felicity asked, worried.

“No. I think whether you are with me or not, I will always worry if you are safe. So I’d rather you be with me. By my side. But I have to…. No, I need to know that you will be safe.” Steve said, his voice catching.

“You know that we will both try our hardest to make sure of that, right?” Felicity stroked his back, running her fingers across his skin.

He didn’t answer her immediately. She understood. They both knew that there was no guarantee that they would not get hurt. Life was unpredictable enough without the added danger of the lives they had chosen to live. So instead she kissed him, letting him feel her faith in them. That they would get through this, together.

 

*

By the time they made it downstairs, everyone was already up. She was surprised to find three new faces sitting at the dining table, chatting with Tony and Clint.

“Hi!” Felicity smiled as they all looked up at her and Steve as they walked in. She recognised the tall beautiful redhead that stood up, holding out her hand while saying, “You must be Felicity. Hi, I’m Pepper.”

“Yes, I’ve heard so much about you. The beauty to Tony’s beast. I mean his beasty voice. When he talks too much. Like me. Now this is awkward.” _Felicity, how about you smack yourself, right now!_

Felicity lifted her head up when she heard Pepper laughing. “I think Tony, you just met your match with Felicity. You both have such lovely ways of expressing yourselves.” Pepper clutched her sides, breaking down in gales of laughter.

 _Ok. I guess I’m going to like Pepper. A lot!_ Felicity smiled looking at Tony hugging Pepper.

She turned with a tentative smile to the other redhead in the room. “Hi. You must be Natasha.”

“Natasha Romanov. Yes.” The Black Widow looked back at her, her face expressionless.

 _Goodness. She’s cold. But also very beautiful_. Felicity had hoped that she and Natasha would get along, but she was having second thoughts now.

Turning last to the kind face smiling at her, Bruce stuck out his hand. “Hi. I’m Bruce Banner. It’s nice to meet you.”

Felicity smiled at his shyness, wondering how he could ever turn into the Hulk. “Hi. It’s wonderful to be able to meet you. I’m already a fan! Of your work I mean.” She giggled and Tony rolled his eyes.

“What is it with you and the green guys, Smoak? Isn’t it enough that you are attached to the hip to Mr Red, White and Blue here?” Tony asked, before he was smacked on the arm by Pepper. “What? She knows I was only teasing.”

Sam walked over from the kitchen, bringing more plates of food so that they could have some breakfast.

“I need coffee first.” Felicity moaned, not yet fully alert and needing caffeine badly.

“I’ll get you some.” Steve said getting up to grab two mugs.

Felicity watched him walk away, worried at how tired he looked. She turned to see Natasha staring at her before she got up and went to sit on the couch. Clint, Bruce and Tony joined her, probably so that they could fill the newcomers in on what was happening.

When Steve returned with their mugs of coffee, Felicity turned to him. “I don’t think Natasha likes me much.” She told him.

“Why do you say that?” He asked, smiling.

“Well, she keeps looking at me like she’s going to eat me up.” Felicity grimaced and Steve laughed.

“Natasha just needs time to get to know you. She’s not one to trust easily. Don’t worry. She won’t hurt you.” Steve said smiling, trying to put Felicity at ease.

“Well, you probably know her better.” Felicity decided that if Steve could trust her, so would she.

“As well as I could. Even with….” Steve paused, thinking he was going down too honest a path, but Felicity noticed the pause immediately.

“What? Even with what?” She asked Steve, not liking the look on his face. “Be honest.” She told him.

“It’s nothing. I just thought of something, that’s all.” He started to say before he realised that he needed to say more, with the look on Felicity’s face. “Umm, well, Natasha kissed me. It was nothing. We were trying to make sure no one was paying attention to us when we were trying to escape being followed. There’s nothing going on between us. She’s just my partner.” Steve’s voice faltered at the end, seeing Felicity’s face fall.

Felicity tried not to feel jealous. But she couldn’t help it. “How does kissing someone not bring attention to you?”

“Well I guess it did as it worked.” Steve watched her carefully, not knowing how to make things better, wishing he hadn’t said anything. “Felicity, do you trust me?” When Felicity nodded, he continued. “Then trust that there is nothing between Natasha and me. We are partners. Maybe even friends, as much as Natasha can handle having a friend. You are the only one that I want to be with. Please believe me.” Steve said earnestly, hoping that it was enough.

Felicity nodded. Yes, she trusted Steve. Looking over at Natasha, she was surprised to see her staring back. She wasn’t frowning. Just observing them intently. _What is it with Russian women and the men I like?_ She wondered to herself.

 

*

After breakfast, Tony and Pepper pulled Felicity aside so that they could talk to her.

“I want you to know why I am here.” Pepper was the first to speak, smiling at Felicity reassuringly. “Tony asked me to come in to help Oliver Queen with Queen Consolidated.”

When Felicity frowned with confusion, Tony spoke up. “I’ve been doing some background checks on his royal greenness. Oliver isn’t a great businessman and I suspect that you have been the one holding the fort together for him as his EA. However, right now, there is something going on and the company shares are fluctuating. It’s dangerous and I know that Queen doesn’t have his head in the company game as he’s too focused on Deathstroke. I also need you with me in that lair of yours, figuring out where Deathstroke and his army are hiding. If there is trouble at QC, you will be torn trying to focus on two things at once, helping Oliver Queen as well as the Arrow, and I can’t have that. I also can’t have Capsicle over there losing focus whenever he’s afraid for your safety.”

Felicity was shocked. What had happened in the short week that she had been away from QC? Or had it started earlier? What had she missed? “Okay, so what are you saying? What is the plan?” she asked.

“I’m going to help Oliver Queen by bringing in someone to look out for the company for him. Please don’t worry. We are not trying to take it over. This will only be temporary till he can refocus himself. You and Oliver will still need to go in to work. Even if it’s just to keep up pretenses, for a part of the day before leaving to return to the lair.” Pepper said.

Tony waved his hands toward Natasha. “And as long as you are there, Natasha will be there too. She has experience infiltrating companies posing as some kind of assistant. She will be able to help you and keep you safe. Cap will trust her to keep you safe.”

 _Oh that’s just great!_ Felicity was not liking the thought of having to deal with Natasha or having to tell Oliver about any of this. _Well, at least I get to see the look on Isabel Rochev’s face,_ she thought, trying to make herself feel better.

 

 

* * *

 **Some additional notes:** This was a very emotional chapter for Steve and I wanted you to understand his pain a little. He’s always been a fighter, even when he was physically weak. And he has always sought to protect and give to others before giving anything to himself. When Steve lost everything he knew and loved, he focused on what he now knew when he woke up... his uniform and shield. But he has also struggled to find a place where he belongs. With Felicity in danger, he felt that he was about to lose that again. It was painfully difficult to write him this terrified and not thinking, just feeling. So Felicity was the strong one, the protector. You will see Steve and Felicity struggle again with the repercussions of this day, learning and growing from it. They are on a journey together after all. And this is his very first relationship, so he has a ways to go.


	17. Planning Your Moves

Notes:

* * *

More insights and tiny steps in some relationships. I hope I’m doing an alright job of growing them. I also want you all to know how fabulous you all are. Thank you for always reading and letting me know how I’m doing. Enjoy this next chapter!

* * *

 

 

True enough, Oliver was not happy that even QC was being invaded by the Avengers. But he was also grateful that Tony had cared enough to bring in Pepper Potts to help him ensure that QC was safe. It was his family’s legacy, after all, and he didn’t want to be the reason that it collapsed. He just had other urgent things that needed his full attention right now.

So he agreed to Tony’s plan, not wanting to think too deeply as to the real reasons why Tony was doing this. He knew that it wasn’t just so Felicity would be able to help out more in the lair in their search for Slade. It was also to pave the way for Felicity leaving for New York. So that she wouldn’t have any excuse to want to stay if she was worried about helping him at QC.

He spent the better part of the morning sitting with Felicity, Pepper and Natasha, going through QC business and hearing what Pepper had planned. She wasn’t sitting on the Board of Directors nor was she directly affiliated to the company, although she did tell him that she was buying up his company shares. There was also something going on with Isabel Rochev, and when he was told, he felt hurt and betrayed.

They had to be careful about how to approach the Board of Directors with their proposal of the running of QC, ensuring that Pepper was not considered a threat as a hostile takeover. She assured Oliver that she would see to it, asking him to contact his company lawyers for advice on how to transfer some temporary powers to her in lieu of his directorship. He would still have the final say, but she would assist in the running of the company for a temporary period. With a legal contract, all powers would then be rightfully returned to him within a specified period of time.

In the meantime, she would have her staff, Natasha included, put in place various changes that would enable him to manage his company a little better after it was returned to him, provided he followed the changes by the book. Felicity could go over everything to make sure that he wasn’t being taken for a ride. Oliver felt better, knowing he could trust Felicity to have his best interests at heart.

Once Oliver’s meeting was finished, he went over to sit with Roy, who was looking angrily at the screens in front of him. “How are you holding up?” he asked.

“What do you think?” Roy answered sourly. “I hate needles and I keep being jabbed with them.”

“It’s necessary,” he said, trying to be understanding but not doing a great job of it. He sighed and walked over to where Bruce and Tony were standing.

Bruce looked up as Oliver approached, nodding a hello before continuing his discussion with Tony. “I’m still running scans on all his vitals. His metabolism is running haywire and his body temperature is way above normal. Muscle density is up and I have no idea what else is different. It’s changing by the minute and fast. Unfortunately, we are not in our lab so I can’t run certain tests, for example brain scans. I’m concerned as to what is happening to his brain but there is no way to tell right now. We’ll have to make do with the equipment we have.”

“Dr. Banner, can we cure him?” Oliver asked.

“Please. Call me Bruce. I’m working on that but I need to know what changes take place so that I can factor it in. There are too many chemical reactions happening right now and at a speed I have not seen before. I need to understand that first before I can work on developing some kind of neutralizing agent or even a cure.” Bruce explained, knowing that they did not have much time.

“Well get on it, Doc. I can only keep this environment stress free for a limited period. After all, you have Mr. I’m So Wonderfully Green and Moody over here. Then there’s Barton and Romanov, all tense from their need to perpetually grapple each other. And how can we forget the sunshine crew… all shiny bright with their constant kisses and cuddles… makes one want to barf. Total stresser!” Tony winced as Pepper shot him a look. “Oops… okay my woman over there is not happy that I’m the one stressing. Bye!” he said as he walked quickly to her side, giving her a long kiss, before jogging over to talk to Felicity.

 

*

Sara was on the mats, practising sparring with Steve and Digg when Oliver eventually joined them. He watched Steve move, admiring his technique. Not only was he acrobatic, moving like a true gymnast, his fighting style seemed like a mix of many different forms of martial arts. Steve was currently teaching Sara some new moves using her Bo-staff, strengthening her attacks on the legs and lower torso while still being able to defend herself. These moves would help when Sara was faced with Slade’s super soldiers again.

Oliver stepped on the mats, wanting to have a go at Steve himself. Just some friendly competition, he told himself as he moved to attack Steve. Unfortunately, Steve was a much faster, stronger opponent and Oliver soon found himself on his back, grunting his defeat.

Oliver grudgingly admitted to himself that Steve was a better man than him in every way. It pissed him off to no end though, that he had to admit that. Sara came over to stand beside him, nudging him in the ribs. “Why so gloomy?” she asked him.

“It’s nothing.” Oliver kissed her quickly before walking over to the Salmon Ladder, wanting to work off his frustration alone.

Steve watched Sara sigh with frustration before continuing to spar with Digg. He didn’t understand Oliver’s relationship with Sara at all. Although they were a couple, Oliver seemed to keep her at a distance. In fact, it seemed like he was pushing her away rather than trying to be with her. Yet, it was obvious that they had a deep connection and understanding of each other. Felicity had tried to explain it a little to him, saying that they had both been stranded on an island together and had lived through unknown horrors that they had not shared with anyone else. Steve wondered though, if their pain was only serving to pull them apart rather than keep them together. It seemed to him that Oliver chose to push away the people he loved to protect them. Was that what he had done with Felicity?

He thought back to his conversation with Felicity where she had been convinced that Oliver had nothing but platonic feelings toward her. From what he had seen, he didn’t think that was the case. He could see the concern Oliver had toward her and the looks he gave them when he saw them together. They looked like feelings of pain and jealousy. He wondered whether Sara had noticed too. What worried him more was how Felicity would feel if she knew the truth about how Oliver felt? Would she still want to go to New York with him?

Steve shook his head, telling himself not to be so insecure. Felicity had repeated again and again that she was sure she wanted to be with him and he needed to trust her. Walking over to where Felicity was working, he bent down to give her a quick kiss.

She wrinkled her nose at him. “Hello Mr Hot and Sweaty,” she said laughing before grabbing the towel around his neck and pulling him closer. She grinned up at him before giving him another peck, pushing him in the direction of the bathroom. “Go shower before you rain all over my babies.”

 

*

Felicity had not actually been working, instead she had been ogling Steve and the way he moved as he sparred, her jaw slack in astonishment. God, he’s so HOT! Was all her stunned brain could come up with.

She had been watching him all morning, worried that he was still holding on to the fear and sadness that had plagued him the night before. She was glad to see that he was focusing on something else. But he did look tired and she hoped he would take a few moments to just rest.

She looked back at her screens whilst she configured different programs to reference and cross check all the data they were collating. It was a lot of work and she was grateful that she had Maria, Clint and even Natasha there to help and discuss additional ideas with.

Tony had given them a quick update as to what Bruce had found from his tests on Roy. The one thing that they had picked up on was the increase in body temperature for anyone who might be injected with the serum. She was now glad that they had run with Maria’s idea to check unusual heat signatures. If it was true, and Slade had amassed a miniature army, then they just might be able to find them. They just had to dig through the crazy amount of data they had before them. She hoped Jarvis would be able to scan it quicker than all of them could.

“Can I sit here?” Natasha said, pointing at a chair next to Felicity.

“Ummm, sure.” Felicity said cautiously, still nervous around Natasha.

Natasha looked at Felicity, what looked like a tiny smile on her face. “Well, I wanted to get to know you a little better. Get a feel of the woman who has stolen Steve’s heart.”

“Oh, okay. What would you like to know?” Felicity had a feeling that Natasha didn’t smile much, and the way the Black Widow was looking at her, it felt like she was already being cross-examined.

“Oh, I don’t know. Tell me a little bit about your background. Your interests. Why you decided to join the Arrow on his missions? What made you decide to join us in New York?” Natasha said, her head tilted slightly, her eyebrows slightly raised.

Felicity didn’t like the feeling she was getting from Natasha at all. “That’s a lot of getting to know me. Shouldn’t it take more time, us getting to know each other, I mean? So we won’t have any awkward exchanges. Like this one right now? Right. Ok.” Felicity bit her lip, glancing back at Natasha, who laughed.

“Ok, I see why Steve likes you so much now. You’re perfect for each other actually. Don’t worry Felicity. I’ll try not to let there be too many awkward moments between us.” Natasha stood and flashed her a small but genuine smile before going to sit with Clint.

 _Oh Wow. What was that all about?_ Felicity sat staring at Natasha, completely confused by the little exchange they had just had.

 

*

Team Arrow was having a meeting, well if you could call it that. A meeting. Not Team Arrow.

Oliver started off first. “How is everyone doing? After yesterday, I mean.” Felicity looked at him like he’d lost his marbles.

“Oliver. Wow. You mean you’re actually asking if we’re okay? There’s something very wrong about this. Are you feeling alright?”

Digg smiled at Oliver’s grimace, “I’m fine. Thanks for checking.” He didn’t want Oliver shutting down now, not when he had just asked a personal question.

“How’s Lyla?” Oliver asked Digg knowing that she had been hurt while fighting the day before.

“She doing alright. Her arm is fractured and she may need to wear a cast for a week or two but nothing serious. She’ll probably be assigned to desk duty till she can get out in the field again.” Digg was relieved that Lyla had not been more severely hurt. They had not been able to hold their own very well in their fight against the soldiers and he was now worried.

“Are you still sticking with the Suicide Squad?” Sara asked. She was curious on Digg’s take on working together with a team of criminals. Not that she considered herself much of a good guy either, being trained by the League of Assassins.

“For now.” Digg sighed. “I don’t like it one bit, working with Deadshot or some of the others. I’m not sure of their commitment to what they are doing. They’ll receive an official pardon at the end of their stint on the squad. It makes me feel like I don’t have them watching my back since they might be only looking out for themselves. But I’ve committed to this to help find Slade. If that’s what I need to do, then I’ll do it.”

Oliver frowned. “I’m the one that Slade is after. I really don’t think all of you should be involved in this. Maybe it would be better if I did this alone. Leave you all out of it.”

“Oliver, I can take care of myself and you need help. You can’t do this alone.” Sara said, placing her hand on his arm supportively.

Oliver shook his head. “Can you really take care of yourself? I know that you have been trained by the League of Assassins, but after yesterday, even you can tell you are no match for them. Slade will hurt all of you to hurt me. I can’t let that happen.” Oliver clenched his jaw, his demeanour stubborn.

Felicity sighed, speaking after being surprisingly quiet. “Oliver, we know you want to ensure we are safe but Slade being here in Starling City is not just because of you. Even if you do this alone, it doesn’t mean that we are stopping whatever else he is planning. I for one need to know what else is going on. So I’m not going to stop working with the Avengers and I’m not going to stop looking. Neither am I going to stop helping you.”

Oliver looked around at each of teammates, all of them willing to stick by him and support him. “Alright. We continue to look for Slade together and work with them,” he gestured towards the side of the room that the Avengers were working. “But please. Be safe.”

 

*

It was late at night by the time Steve and Felicity had a moment to themselves. Everyone had either retired to their rooms or were downstairs chatting after they had finished a late dinner. Steve and Felicity, wanting privacy had excused themselves and were now sitting quietly on their bed, Steve’s back resting against the headboard. She was tucked against him, her legs to her side, resting her head under his chin, a content smile on her face.

“I missed you today,” she told him as she lightly stroked his chest. She could feel his chest move as he chuckled.

“We were in the same room all day. I didn’t go anywhere.”

“Yes, but we hardly had a chance to talk. I missed being next to you,” she told him.

“Then I missed you too.” Steve told her, giving her a little squeeze.

Felicity was silent for a while, enjoying the closeness she felt with Steve. “Natasha talked to me today.” She eventually said.

“She did? What did she say?” Steve asked, mildly curious.

“She said she wanted to get to know me better. It was a weird discussion.” Felicity remembered exactly how weird it had been.

Steve chuckled again. “That’s good that Natasha wanted to get to know you. She usually doesn’t really care. That she is making an effort to understand you is a good thing, Felicity.”

Felicity decided that she should give Natasha a chance. “Well, I hope I get to understand her better too. After all, we will be seeing a lot of each other when we go back to New York. Or at least I think we will.”

Steve pushed her away from him slightly so that he could look at her. “I’m looking forward to you being in New York with me. But have you decided what you want to do? I’m not sure if you want to get your own apartment or stay at the Tower.” Steve was hesitant about asking her to stay with him, wanting her to be comfortable in whatever space she chose. After all moving in together would be a big step for some couples.

Felicity searched his eyes before answering. “What were you thinking? I mean I would love to stay with you but maybe you are used to being alone. Although, you wouldn’t be completely alone because I would be there. But you might just need space, for yourself, sometimes or whenever.” Felicity was trying to be considerate of his old fashioned values. She wasn’t sure what kind of living arrangements he would be comfortable with being that they weren’t married. _Now where did that word come from?_ She gave herself a little scolding.

“Sweetheart, I would love it if you stayed with me. This past week, after having you this close to me, I can’t imagine going to sleep without you beside me. Stark has arranged for me to have my own apartment within the tower. I don’t know if I will get another apartment somewhere else later, but for now, we can stay there. But if you want us to have our own place, then we can do that too. Whatever makes you comfortable.” Steve’s smile was gentle but reassuring.

Felicity reached up, pulling him down for a kiss. She licked her way across his lower lip before parting her lips, letting him tangle his tongue with hers. He moved them till they were lying on the bed, pulling her closer as he gently caressed her, his hands sliding over her bare legs and arms as he kissed her. When he finally raised his head, he tickled her gently, making her smile. “You haven’t given me an answer yet.”

“Yes, Steve. I would love to move in with you. And it doesn’t matter where you decide to stay. I’ll make it my home too.” She told him, her eyes sincere as she pulled his head down for another kiss.


	18. Destruction

 

“Okay, where are you hiding Hulk’s Mini-Me this time?” Tony asked Oliver the next morning as he paced around the lair.

“I’m not hiding him. He’s just late,” was Oliver’s growled retort.

“What? Two hours late? My hours are limited from nine to five. I charge for overtime.” Tony sniffed.

“Roy is seldom late Oliver. Unlike you.” Felicity said, worried.

Digg thought for a minute before asking, “Could he be with Thea?”

Oliver shook his head. “I don’t think so. Thea left home early today to go to Central City for a few days with some friends. She won’t be back till the weekend.”

Bruce spoke up. “Roy’s condition is not stable. Anything could be happening to him. It’s best if we find him and bring him here just in case.”

“Alright, we need to go look for him. Where should we start?” Steve asked, getting up.

Oliver’s expression was grim. “I know where he lives. Let’s start from there. We’ll contact each other if we find him.”

Oliver and Sara left with Steve and Bruce. Steve didn’t want all of them going, worrying it would set Roy off. Bruce however, had brought some equipment with him just in case.

They didn’t find Roy immediately. What they did find was a trail of destruction from his house and they were following it.

“What do you think happened?” Steve asked, worried about Roy and the state they would find him in.

“I’m not sure but this doesn’t look like he attacked someone. It looks more like he just pummelled anything that was in his way. Look at this pillar. It’s been punched and destroyed. He could have just walked around it instead.” Bruce replied.

“We need to get to him before he hurts someone.” Oliver was moving as fast as he could, trying to get to Roy although it seemed like the destruction had not been recent.

Sara was trying to keep her cool. “Well he hasn’t hurt anyone yet otherwise Felicity would have told us.”

“Nope. There is nothing on police or emergency scanners.” Felicity spoke up over the comms. “I’m mapping out all potential routes he could have taken. He keeps switching directions though.”

“Damn it!” Oliver cursed as he came across his first injured person. The man was unconscious, lying next to a flattened metal can. He looks like he’s lucky to be alive, he thought as he asked Felicity to call an ambulance.

Walking along carefully, they came across two other men, also not dead but badly beaten. “Felicity, this is getting bad. Get Stark out here. If we find him, we’re going to have to find a way to neutralize him.”

“Right on it. Tony is on his way to you right now.” Felicity said.

Steve turned to Bruce. “Can you keep the big guy contained? The last thing we need is for him let loose here too.”

When Bruce nodded, Steve stopped Oliver and Sara for a moment. “I know this is your friend. But I think he’s not in control right now based on what we have found. Stark is on his way and we have tranquilizers here. I want you both to try to stay back if we find Roy. If he’s as strong as the other soldiers we met, you might get hurt trying to bring him down. You can help but let us try to contain him.”

Oliver and Sara were not happy, but they agreed to take a step back and jump in only if necessary. They waited till Tony arrived, carrying something akin to metal rings.

“What the hell is that?” Oliver asked, even more upset.

“I imagined the Hulk dressed in a corset once. His shape isn’t quite becoming of him. He needs bindings. So I made these. Hopefully, they will fit your friend too. Roy looks like a size petite, much smaller than the Hulk, but these will have to do.” Tony said as he shook the metal rings playfully.

Steve stepped in when Oliver looked like he was about to lose it. “It’s just a precautionary measure. So that we don’t hurt Roy or let him hurt himself.”

Oliver took a deep breath and nodded. They continued on till they finally found Roy. He was bent over a man with his back to them, his red hoodie up covering his face.

“Roy?” Oliver said quietly, so as not to spook him.

Roy turned slowly, his face contorted into an unrecognizable expression.

Steve glanced at the man lying at Roy’s feet. It was a cop and he didn’t look like he was breathing. They needed to get to him and fast. Steve signalled to Bruce and Tony, asking them to get ready.

“They killed Thea.” Roy said in a voice that was haunted and in pain.

Oliver shook his head. “No they didn’t. Thea is fine.”

“Who’s Thea?” Tony whispered.

Sara shot him a look. “She’s Oliver’s sister. Roy is her boyfriend. Where the hell have you been?” She whispered angrily, still focused on Roy.

Tony looked skyward, wondering what the hell he had gotten himself into. He shifted forward a little but Roy noticed, immediately standing straight. He charged forward and Oliver, who was now close enough tried to grab at him. Spinning around, Roy slammed his arm into Oliver, knocking him down before stomping on his leg. Oliver yelled out in pain and Sara launched herself at Roy, trying to protect Oliver. She was grabbed by the throat and thrown into a pillar where she collapsed to the ground, stunned.

Tony blasted his pulsars, knocking Roy down for a second before flying over, trying to clamp the rings around him. Steve, ran over and punched Roy in the face before lifting him in an arm lock from behind. They both struggled as Roy kicked out, throwing himself backward onto Steve, till they were on the ground. Tony couldn’t get the metal rings on Roy with Steve beneath him and tried to roll him so that he could get a better grip, but he soon found his suit being crushed by Roy’s grip.

“Bruce. Get your ass over here and stab him with the tranquilizers.” Tony gasped out, still struggling.

“No. Don’t!” Steve yelled, worried that Bruce might be caught in the fight which would set the green guy off. “Throw them to me” he called out, rolling out from under Roy and jumping in the air to catch the syringes as Bruce threw them his way. He plunged two into Roy, hoping they would work fast enough and pulled him down to the ground in a chokehold. When Roy finally went still, he sighed with relief, getting up while Tony managed to get the clamps around the boy, restraining him.

Steve went to check on the cop lying on the ground, finding him dead. He had been beaten to death. He closed his eyes, in pain at such an innocent unnecessary loss of life. Looking up, he saw Oliver and Sara staring at the cop and he shook his head, letting them know that the cop was gone.

They made their way back to the lair, silent and subdued.

 

*

Bruce had attended to Oliver and Sara’s injuries, giving Oliver a brace for his leg. They now sat staring at Roy who lay on the med table, hands securely fastened with straps and heavily sedated.

Sara turned sadly to Oliver. “I would have killed him. I was ready to. He would be dead if they hadn’t stopped him.”

“But he’s not. That’s all that matters.” Oliver said, getting up and limping away, unable to sit still.

“But I wanted to kill him, to stop him. Because this is what I do. It’s what I am.” Sara said, her face miserable. “I’ve become darkness and you need someone who can see the light still inside of you. Someone better.” She looked toward Felicity who was standing talking to Steve. “I’m not that person.”

Oliver looked in Felicity’s direction before turning back to Sara. “That’s not true. I chose you, and regardless of what you think you are, I know you and you are good. You still have goodness in you.” He pulled Sara to him, wrapping his arms around her.

Sara let him hold her for a while before pushing him away. “I need time. I can’t do this with you right now. I’m sorry.” She got up looking at him with sad eyes, before she walked away out of the lair.

Felicity looked toward Oliver as Sara left, seeing the pain and loss on his face. She went to his side quickly, asking what was wrong and where was Sara going.

“She left,” was all he managed to say.

Felicity didn’t ask more. She held Oliver’s hand quietly, trying to comfort him. She didn’t know if he would accept anything else from her but her touch and presence, also acutely aware that Steve was watching them.

 

*

Oliver had left with Natasha and Pepper for Queen Consolidated and Felicity had wanted to accompany them, saying Oliver needed his Executive Assistant there. But Tony had felt that Pepper and Natasha could handle it and had asked her to stay in the lair.

Roy was still sedated and Bruce and Tony were working hard on trying to find some way to cure him. With everyone’s attention elsewhere, Steve asked Felicity about what had transpired between Sara and Oliver. He had heard what Oliver had said, but he wanted to hear Felicity’s version so that he could understand better.

“I think that Sara might have broken up with Oliver.” Felicity said, her voice sad.

“Why would she do that?” Steve asked.

“I’m not sure. But Sara’s face looked so tortured when she left, she must have had a good reason.” Felicity said remembering the pain that Sara had not tried to hide as she walked away.

“And Oliver didn’t explain further?” Steve asked quietly.

Felicity shook her head. “No. Oliver doesn’t share his feelings a lot. But I know he’s hurting.” She looked up to see a crease forming on Steve’s brow and she reached up to softly caress his face. “Don’t worry about Oliver. He’ll be fine. Just give him some time to deal with it.” She told him, thinking that Steve was concerned about Oliver being distracted from all that was going on.

But that wasn’t Steve’s main concern. With Sara gone, would Oliver seek Felicity’s comfort? He hoped that he would not have to worry about it. Pulling Felicity to him, he held her to him before lifting her chin to give her a soft kiss. Trusting her, he knew that she would want to be a friend to someone she cared for. “And you’ll be there for him if he needs you?” Steve asked, his voice soft.

“Yes. He’s my friend. But I don’t want you to worry.” She told him, her eyes looking directly at his, seeking his understanding and at the same time, silently telling him that he didn’t have to be worried, she was his girl.

 

*

Pepper had made sure she had done her research. She knew about Isabel Rochev’s past with Stellmoor International and had discovered that Isabel had secretly bought forty five per cent of QC shares. That was until recently. Because Pepper had launched a counterattack, buying a good percentage of shares herself under numerous subsidiaries of Stark Industries. _She won’t ever know what hit her._ Pepper smiled to herself as she walked beside Oliver Queen and Natasha as they made their way to a meeting with Isabel.

Isabel’s face was cold when they sat facing each other in the meeting room. Even though she may have been curious at Pepper’s presence at QC, she obviously didn’t think there was any kind of looming threat as her polite smile was confident. “I’m unsure why you have called this meeting Oliver. Is Stark Industries here with a proposal as I have not seen anything on my table,” Isabel asked.

“I wouldn’t consider it a proposal, Isabel. More like an introduction.” Oliver’s tone was hard.

“I’m sure there was no need for such an official introduction to Ms. Potts. We could have had a more informal get together.” Isabel said, a little impatiently, still trying to be polite.

Oliver’s smile did not reach his eyes. “Not when this introduction is to the new temporary CEO of Queen Consolidated.”

Isabel’s snapped her suddenly open mouth closed. “What did you just say? That is not possible. What games are you playing now, Oliver? I don’t have time for this.”

Pepper was the one who spoke up this time. “Ms Rochev. We are not playing games. We are quite aware that you have been using Stellmoor International funds to buy up QC shares with the intent of becoming a majority shareholder and taking over the company. You were probably going to make your move soon and have ownership transferred to you. You have also been working on devaluing the company’s stock. What you may not have realized is how much backing the Queen family has. Stark Industries with Oliver Queen, currently holds over 47% of QC shares. Oliver has managed to get the Board of Director’s approval for the temporary transfer of the running of Queen Consolidated to me. It has all been properly legalized and is already in effect as of right now. You could easily have been told this when we make our announcement in the next few hours. However, Oliver wants to give you a chance to explain to him why you have gone to so much trouble to steal his company away from him. I would suggest you use that opportunity wisely.”

Isabel was shocked although her face fast became angry. “You have no idea do you?” She spat out, turning toward Oliver. “Your father and I were in love. He was going to leave everything and run away with me. But then he left me choosing you and your family instead and I was ruined. Everything I’ve done is to have my revenge on you and your family for the wrong that has been done to me. You should have died at sea along with your father. Instead you have lived and have continued to do more wrong, causing more pain to others.” Isabel stood up and pointed a finger at Oliver. “I will make you pay for the pain you have caused me and many others.” She turned and walked out.

Oliver sat silently trying to digest what he had just heard. “Are you alright?” Pepper asked him kindly.

Oliver rubbed the back of his neck before looking up at Pepper with tired eyes. “I’ll be fine.” He wasn’t fine though. Once again, the choices that he and his family had made were coming back to haunt him. This would never end for him.

Natasha spoke up, having been quiet all this time. “She hasn’t been planning this alone and from what she just said, she has something else up her sleeve. We have to take precautions here and I don’t mean just with Queen Consolidated. She’s made it personal, so she may attack the people you care for too.”

Pepper nodded in agreement. “You may be right. But first, let’s do the necessary here at QC and make the official announcement. I can worry about the company. Natasha, I’ll leave everything else to you all.”

 

*

Once back at the lair, Oliver debriefed Felicity of the changes happening in QC.

 _Damn. What I would have given to have been there_! Felicity mused.

Oliver limped over to Roy to make sure he was fine but nothing had changed and Roy was still heavily sedated. Bruce and Tony were still trying to figure out why Mirakuru had the effects that it had whilst giving those it injected uncontrollable rage. They believed that Roy had also been hallucinating, as he had attacked Oliver without recognizing him.

Steve was the one who came up with the thought first. “When I was chosen to be given the super serum, I asked what was so special about me. Dr. Erskine told me that the serum amplifies everything that is inside a person. In my case, he felt that I knew the value of my strength and that I had compassion. If this serum is similar, then perhaps the people that have been given the serum are already angry. So the serum amplifies their anger, giving them uncontrollable rage.”

Tony looked at Steve, his eyes wide. “Wow! Cap. Did you just squirt yourself with a healthy dose of brain food? Spinach for the brain? This is an incredible discovery. Capsicle is becoming almost a smart as me. Well, not quite almost. You have a ways to go.” He clapped Steve on the back while Bruce nodded thoughtfully.

Bruce turned to the rest of the team. “Who can tell me a little bit more about Roy? What is his background like?”

Team Arrow filled them in on what they knew about Roy. He was from the Glades and had had run-ins with the law before meeting Thea. His mother had been addicted to Vertigo, a street drug, and he had turned to stealing to get his mother the help she needed. After the Glades earthquake, when Oliver had not been around, he had tried to help protect the Glades and had been arrested a few times by the police. He now worked at Verdant and was trying to walk a better path in life.

“What is it with all the sob stories in this city?” Tony asked, frustrated.

“If he had that many issues with the police, it would explain why he attacked and killed the cop and didn’t kill anyone else he had come across.” Bruce said. “Maybe Steve is onto something.”

Natasha asked, “If so, then Deathstroke would give the serum to only people who had a certain personality type or experiences that would make them angry or aggravated. But who and where would he find them?”

The computers started beeping alerts and Felicity ran over to check. “It’s the maximum security prison. It’s been breached and prisoners are escaping.”

“Well everyone. I guess we have the answer to that question. Guess we need to go round up the herd.” Tony said getting up.

“But there are too many of them.” Sam said. “We can’t possibly find all the escapees.”

“We will just have to try.” Steve said, already moving toward his uniform and shield.

Felicity went up to him. “Please be careful,” she told him as she hugged him.

“Sweetheart, you’re going to see me go out to fight a lot. This is what I am after all. A soldier, I mean.” Steve told her, holding her close.

“I know Steve. But you also need to know that you now have a place you belong…to come back to. To me.” Felicity said, kissing him goodbye.

 

 

* * *

Notes: The title for this chapter says it all. It’s been the darkest chapter I’ve written so far and I wondered through it all where all the sunshine and fluff of the earlier chapters had gone. But life is never all rainbows and I guess they have to go through a few stormy times first. I hope you enjoyed reading it.


	19. I Will Always Fight

 

Everyone had been divided into two working teams, knowing full well that they would not only have to deal with escaped prisoners but also Deathstroke’s mini army. Felicity and Maria were both manning the comms and Felicity was all excited that she had been given a code name, Meta. She admired Maria’s code name too, Raven, although she wasn’t sure what that was supposed to symbolize.

Bruce had stayed in the lab to continue working on finding a way to neutralize the serum. The team had felt that he might do too much damage if he let the Hulk out. After all, they were in the city with civilians around.

Heading towards Starling City’s maximum security prison, they figured it would make sense for Deathstroke to seek out the worst criminals. When they arrived, the police were already engaged in a firefight with some of the prisoners. The prison was ablaze and they could see the injured and dead everywhere. Although the police had managed to cordon off the area, if Deathstroke wanted to get some of the prisoners out, it would be easy enough to do so and they had to find him.

Patching into the prison’s cameras, Felicity scanned the perimeter of the prison, but she couldn’t make out a clear enough picture of the grounds surrounding the prison. “No movement in front of the cameras but you could get higher and scan the area.” Felicity told them.

“Right on it, Meta.” Falcon called out as he and Ironman flew above the grounds. They found buses either parked or driving away in different locations, with prisoners onboard and manned by a number of Deathstroke’s soldiers. Giving the locations through the comms, the teams split up, each heading toward a different location.

The Black Widow found one of the buses and ran directly toward some of the prisoners standing around, throwing little round tasers that knocked them unconscious. She cartwheeled, kicking another prisoner down before sliding under the legs of another, kicking his legs from out under him. One punch and he was out for the count. She saw one of Deathstroke’s crazies approaching, and leaped in the air encircling his neck with her legs, whipping her body around twice before pulling him down to the ground. Taking out electrifying baton, she slammed it down into the back of the soldier’s neck, rendering him temporarily unconscious. “Huh? Guess that worked.” She shrugged as she ran toward the next soldier. “Guys, they have a vulnerable spot. Back of their necks!” She shouted into the comms.

Arrow began shooting at the tires of the buses trying to puncture them so that the prisoners couldn’t drive away. “Puncture the tires,” he called out, asking everyone else to try to do the same. He whipped out arrow after arrow, shooting prisoners in the legs so that they could not run but unwilling to shoot any other areas, worried that he might seriously hurt them. He saw a soldier approach and tried to shoot him in the chest, but the soldier kept coming. He was about to stand his ground to fight when a shield slammed into the soldier’s head and he fell into a heap into the ground. He turned to Cap, nodding his thanks before limping off towards another group, his leg still injured.

Ironman dived down, firing his pulse bolts at prisoners, knocking them down. He came down feet first into the back of a soldier, knocking him to the ground before blasting backward into another soldier that was coming up behind him. “Get two for the price of one!” He shouted gleefully, before being grabbed and flung to the ground. Shaking himself off, he blasted back upward and shot his pulse bolts from the air, knocking over the soldier who had grabbed him. “No touching please!” he scolded. He surveyed the chaos surrounding him before yelling out frustrated. “Thor! Where the hell are you? Get your greasy blonde ass down here now!”

Hawkeye had decided to perch himself on top of one of the buses, shooting arrows at whatever moved that wasn’t a friendly, targeting more of the crazies than the prisoners. He slammed arrows into their legs, chests and feet, trying to destabilize them. It seemed to work just a little although they kept moving. Damn! What was going to bring them down? They were like zombies who kept coming even though they should be incapacitated. Fast running out of arrows, he leaped down, somersaulting into a soldier and slamming his bow into the soldier’s face. Dropping to the ground, he ran toward another soldier, executing a double back flip before sailing into the soldiers face. “What is it going to take to get them to stay down?” he gasped out, frustrated.

“Haven’t a clue,” Falcon yelled back, frustrated at his lack of success with his own attacks. The prisoners were easy enough and he carried some to the roof of some lookout towers where they found themselves trapped and unable to climb down. Slade’s soldiers were another problem altogether and he had decided to whack them with rocks and metal as he swooped down on them. Not that it helped all that much.

Captain America meantime was busy trying to fend off two crazies. His shield flying, he spun horizontally in midair before giving a roundhouse kick to the chest of one of them, his shield slamming into the other. As his shield flew back toward him, he spun out kicking his shield again and it flew and bounced into a soldier trying to get at Hawkeye, who sent him a thank you wave. He found that the soldiers were not as strong as Deathstroke, and his punches and kicks managed to actually hurt them, making them stumble a bit. Encouraged, his fists flew faster and he threw a soldier judo style over his shoulder onto the ground, punching him in the face and knocking him out.

With a great flash of light, Thor arrived, swinging Mjolnir and knocking the soldier nearest to him down.

“Where have you been?” Cap asked him, as he jumped and body slammed a soldier approaching him from behind. Thor took his hammer and knocked the soldier out cold.

“I’ve been busy.” Thor replied, not at all apologetic.

“Well, since you are doing so well with the ‘Knock Knock, who’s there’ game, can you please continue?” Ironman said as he flew by.

“Certainly.” Thor said as he swung Mjolnir around like a slingshot, letting go and knocking a few more soldiers down. This time, they had a bit more trouble getting up.

Captain America saw the Black Widow out of the corner of his eye, struggling in the grip of a soldier. He threw his shield towards them, aiming for the soldier’s side and shoulder so that he would release his grip on her. It slammed into the soldier before returning to him. But before Cap could catch it, he heard someone yell, “Watch out!” before he felt a searing pain in his chest. Looking down, he realized he had been shot and he looked up into the eyes of a very scared prisoner.

His last thought as he dropped to the ground, losing consciousness was of Felicity.

 

*

“Has he woken up yet?” Felicity looked up at Natasha who was leaning against the door.

Felicity shook her head. “No, but he should soon. The doctors were not sure how long it would take for him to come out from being under, but it would be quicker than a normal person.” She looked toward Steve, holding his hand tenderly.

Natasha’s voice was soft. “He got hurt trying to make sure that I didn’t get hurt.”

Felicity nodded. “Isn’t that what he always does? Look out for others before himself?

“Yes. That’s Steve. He’ll be okay though. He heals fast.” Natasha said, her voice confident.

“I know. But it still hurts to see him hurt.” Felicity said, her gaze never leaving Steve’s face.

“You really do love him, don’t you?” It didn’t seem like a question, more like Natasha was making a statement.

Felicity looked up at Natasha. “Yes. I do.” She said without hesitation.

“Good.” Natasha nodded before walking away, probably to go sit with everyone who was waiting in the hospital lounge.

Felicity sat forward in her chair and brushed her hand over Steve’s cheek, waiting for him to come around. When he had been shot, she had leapt up, her chair crashing to the ground, as she called out his name frantically. All she heard over the comms were shouts that Steve was down and that he had been shot. Sam had rushed him to hospital while the other Avengers and Oliver stayed behind trying to prevent any more prisoners from leaving. From what she had been told, they had managed to round up a few but there were many more who had escaped. They had found the prisoner that had shot Steve along with the gun he had stolen from the perimeter guards and had handed him over to the police.

Steve started to shift awake and he opened his eyes to see Felicity sitting beside his bed, his hand in hers.

She smiled at him gently and asked, “Hey you. How do you feel?”

“Like I got shot, although I would have thought I would feel worse than this.” Steve tried to joke although his voice was a little hoarse.

Felicity kissed his hand. “You were in surgery for quite a while. The surgeons had a hard time trying to get to the bullet as well as sewing you back up as you kept healing over. But they said that at the rate you heal, you should be able to be discharged within a day. You do need at least a day’s bedrest though, just as a precaution.”

“I’m sorry I got shot. I hate having you worried.” Steve said as he looked at Felicity.

Felicity tried to smile. “I don’t think worried would be the word I would use. I was terrified. You wouldn’t wake up and the doctors had a hard time figuring out how to operate on you. They couldn’t tell me anything. I was so scared Steve.” Her voice broke then and Steve reached up to tug her to him. Leaning over, she kissed him gently, running her hand over his face, so grateful that he would be alright. She had been terrified that she would lose him. The bullet had been lodged in a place that if not removed, could have been fatal. She closed her eyes, not wanting to remember how she had felt when the surgeon had told her that it had been a close call.

“Hey.” Steve stroked her cheek. “I’m not going anywhere without you. I’m here.”

“You have to promise me to always fight to come back to me.” Felicity told him fiercely, her eyes shining with unshed tears.

“I promise. I will always make my way back to you. Always.” Steve said, before pulling her to him so that he could kiss her.

 

*

Steve had been discharged early the next morning after the doctor had given the all clear. The doctors had been amazed as to how fast he had healed, but he was asked to not tax his body over the next few days and to get some rest.

Steve had insisted that they return to the penthouse as Felicity had not slept at all and needed to at least get some sleep. He had told her that she would be no good to anyone if she was half asleep and unable to focus. “The others can handle it,” he had told her.

She had slept for four hours, with Steve holding her close, unable to sleep himself, having rested at the hospital. She had had a bad nightmare, calling out his name and starting awake, sobbing. He had held her, peppering kisses all over her face, wiping the tears and stroking her hair till she fell back asleep again. He wrapped himself around her after that, wanting her to feel cocooned in safety so that she would sleep peacefully.

When she finally awoke, she drove them to Big Belly Burger insisting that he must at least try one of her favourite places to eat and they had sat in a booth, snuggled together, trying to feel just a bit more normal again. It worked, at least a little anyway, because by the time they walked into the lair, they both had smiles on their faces as they came down the stairs.

“Guess we don’t need a walker just yet. The old man is fine.” Tony said as he went up to Steve, clapping him on the back. Felicity smiled at Tony, her eyes telling him that she knew he was just a big ole sap.

Steve shook his head smiling and went to greet the other Avengers who were happy to see that he was back on his feet and healing fine. Felicity smiled to see him getting along with his team, all of them so used to battle, yet in their own way, they cared and tried to support each other. She was looking forward to working with such a great team.

Pepper sat down beside her. “How are you doing?”

“As well as I can be with Steve being shot. I’m just relieved that he is fine.” Felicity smiled at Pepper, grateful for the support even though they hardly knew each other.

“I know how it feels. To worry every time he leaves, not knowing if he will be hurt or worse. The fear never goes away. There was a time that Tony was so focused on the next mission and nothing else. I was afraid I would lose him and I almost quit.” Pepper smiled sadly.

“What made you stay?” Felicity asked.

“The look in his eyes when I told him that he was all I had too.” Pepper said.

Felicity admired Pepper’s honesty. “It is important that they know that they have our support, regardless of how afraid we are of losing them. So that when they go out to do what they must, they see us being strong for them.”

Pepper nodded. “You are a very brave woman, Felicity Smoak, and I’m glad that Steve and you have found each other.”

“As am I,” a deep voice said from behind Felicity. She swung around quickly in her chair, only to look up at the very tall, very handsome Thor.

“Oh wow! I finally get to meet a God. Yes, you are very godlike indeed. I’m Felicity Smoak. Pleased to meet you.” Felicity said, grinning up at him.

“The pleasure is mine, Lady Smoak.” Thor said with a slight bow of his head. “I have heard much about you in these last few hours. It is an honour to meet the lady who has captured the heart of Captain Rogers and who has managed to impress Tony Stark.”

Felicity felt like she needed to curtsey. _Oh boy! Thor is impressive_. “And I you. To meet you, honoured, I mean.” She stammered, flustered at Thor’s formality.

“Are you writing another Shakespearean play here, Thor? I suggest it be called ‘To Smoak or Not to Smoak’.” Tony had joined them, grinning as Thor shot him an irritated look. Turning to Felicity, he dragged her toward where almost everyone was sitting. “Now that Steve and you are here, we need to discuss how to proceed.”

Felicity took a seat next to Steve, who pulled her chair nearer so that their legs brushed against each other. She smiled at him, understanding his need to always be in contact with her, even if it was in some small way.

Hawkeye started off first. “Less than half of the prisoners have been accounted for. Out of those, some were either killed or are injured and have been hospitalized.”

“Has there been any indication at all where the rest of them might be? We are talking at least a few hundred prisoners on the loose.” Steve asked.

“Not all of them will be with Deathstroke. Some may just be in hiding and will probably be found soon. We need to worry about those that are with Deathstroke.” Maria said while pulling up some quick screens for the others to see. “I’ve tracked power surges, increased heat signatures and satellite feeds. I have nothing yet. But with that many people in one place, something is bound to come up.”

“We have already set up scans and we can continue to monitor traffic and security cams in areas that may be viable options for them to be able to hide that many people.” Felicity said, pulling out her tablet so that she could quickly pull some data.

“We have to figure out why he would need so many people. How is he going to keep all of them together and hidden? These are prisoners. They are not going to just pleasantly sit together and chat over tea for the next few days.” Tony said, his face thoughtful.

Bruce spoke up immediately. “It’s because not all of them will survive being injected with Mirakuru. My guess is that there is a less than fifty percent survival rate.”

“We are still talking about at least a hundred people that he could add to this army we think he is building. If he attacks Starling City with a boosted army that size, can we defend it?” Oliver was beginning to get very worried.

“And how will they be able to give Mirakuru to that many people? The serum is not exactly manufactured by ordinary means. If it’s true that it’s made from Slade’s blood, it will take a long time before he can make enough Mirakuru for all of them.” Bruce wondered. 

“I think I have the answer for that.” Natasha said. “I’ve looked more deeply into Isabel Rochev and I know she has connections with the Russian mob. Deathstroke has had similar connections and they might know each other, although I haven’t been able to find anything concrete. What I do know is that before she left QC, she was very interested in QC’s Applied Sciences division. If she is working with Deathstroke, she may have found a way to mass produce Mirakuru there. She could have channelled funds using both money from Stellmoor and the mob.”

“Then we have to find her.” Steve said. “And, we need to find out what the Applied Sciences Division has been working on.”

“Already done. I accessed QC’s mainframe.” Felicity said smiling. When she saw a few surprised faces looking her way, she grinned. “What? It was easy. I was the one who put in place their new security measures so I just used Oliver’s access to get in and check.” She ran through the information quickly before looking up.

“The Medical Science department has recently been working on a new vaccine for a strain of influenza which is scheduled for small batch test production. Small batch meaning less than two thousand vials. Perhaps this is the hidden Mirakuru.” Felicity had pulled the information up on the screens at the station instead so that everyone could look at it.

“We need to get that vaccine so I can test it. If it is Mirakuru, maybe I can then find a way to neutralize its effects.” Bruce had started to feel a little bit more hopeful.

“Alright. Let’s go to QC.” Oliver said standing up.

“We need to be subtle about this.” Nat looked at him before continuing. “I’ll go in tonight and steal a few samples. They will never know I was there.”

“It’s my company and I’m coming with you.” Oliver said, before going to suit up.

Digg rolled his eyes. “Guess you won’t be needing your black driver. I’m taking the night off then.” He decided that he needed to spend some quality time with Lyla.

 

 

* * *

Notes:

This chapter was the worst to write and took me 3 days. Maybe I got too upset. So my apologies if it’s a little stilted. Thank you again for staying with this story and as always, let me know what you think of what is happening. Your thoughts always keep me on track!


	20. Let's Not Keep You Guessing

Notes: 

* * *

I had to take a deep breath writing this chapter. I’m hoping that even when things seem familiar, you are surprised enough with what comes next. No matter how many times I repeat it, I’m so thankful you are still reading. Enjoy!

* * *

 

 

When Oliver and Nat returned with the samples, it didn’t take Bruce long to confirm that the vials contained Mirakuru. Bruce immediately set to work on finding a neutralizing agent, finding it faster going having the samples on hand.

“This is incredible.” Bruce said as he looked at the screens. “Looking at the growth reactions the serum has with blood, I can see how someone injected with it could have the strength of ten men.”

“Well, it can’t be as incredible as the Hulk. Nothing beats you when you’re going at it.” Tony said, frowning at the changes that were blown up on the screen in front of him.

“Are the changes similar to what happens to me?” Steve asked.

“Not quite.” Bruce answered Steve, scanning some of the notes he had made. “I’m assuming that there will be an increase in durability, strength, stamina, speed, reflexes and agility. Senses are heightened and Roy has previously tried to explain that. However, they are not comparable to your abilities. I read that you could lift up to 1200 pounds and they would not be able to lift anywhere near that weight. Nor do they have the tactical genius that you have been blessed with or the same kind of regenerative healing powers. I think it’s because it’s not pure Mirakuru. Whatever Slade is doing by using his blood to manufacture the serum, it seems to minimize the effects somewhat, creating a weaker version of himself. It’s still something to worry about though, especially the effects it has on the brain.”

“The last thing I want to do is go up against these crazies again.” Tony said, winking at Felicity as he used the name that she had gifted them. She smiled back at him. “We need to find a cure Doc.”

“I doubt that I’m going to be able to find a cure anytime soon. However, I can try to find a way to slow down myelination. That will slow down their nerve impulses. We can find a way to hinder growth in muscle density too. But it will only be a temporary fix. Their bodies will find a way to work around it.” Bruce said, his mind already working on it.

“I think we’ll take what we can get for now.” Steve said, while the others nodded their agreement.

“We need to stop Deathstroke from getting his hands on the Mirakuru at QC.” Natasha spoke up. I suggest we blow up the building. We don’t know what else he or Rochev have managed to do within the Applied Sciences Division. They would have had to use experimentation in there and everything needs to be destroyed.”

“You are not going to blow up my building. There are people in there that work for me and other important projects that QC has been working on that are unrelated to Mirakuru.” Oliver said angrily. “Why can’t we just destroy the vials and anything else that we can find.”

Felicity shook her head. “Oliver, I have not been able to find anything else related to Mirakuru or information on the vaccine that it was hidden as. Isabel was probably careful. She may have hidden it under other projects too. Without her, there is no way of knowing which ones. I’m sorry.”

“Oliver. It’s something that must be done.” Digg said, knowing it was hard for him.

Oliver ground his teeth, knowing that everyone was right. “Fine. But I want to go in with you, to make sure that everything goes alright.”

“Natasha and I will go too. We need stealth not flash and bang here. If anyone else goes, there is a risk of us being seen.” Clint said firmly.

“I want Digg with me.” Oliver said stubbornly and was relieved when Clint nodded his agreement.

 

*

Felicity accompanied Oliver in to Queen Consolidated the next morning. All hell had broken lose within the office after the Applied Sciences Division had gone up in a ball of flame and smoke the night before, everything within it destroyed.

Oliver spent the entire morning in meetings with Pepper and other key people. Felicity saw Nat come and go a lot, the latter now working in the Legal Department. Felicity was becoming used to the looks that Nat would send her way whenever she passed by. _I guess that’s her friendly look_ , Felicity would think, smiling at the little chink she had made in Natasha’s armour. _Now we just need to work on moving that face into smile mode._

It was late morning when a courier package came. Felicity signed for it, noticing that the name of the sender was odd, well to her anyway. Even though it was a small package, she was wary and had called down to Natasha, asking her to come up to take a look.

Natasha turned the package carefully, judging the weight. She didn’t try to shake it but instead took out a little device to scan it.

“What’s that?” Felicity asked curiously.

“Circuit sensor.” Nat answered, not going into more detail.

“To check if it’s a bomb?” Felicity asked, trying to guess what Nat had meant. “You know, you can go into more detail. I will understand. MIT grad here. I wasn’t trained in the secretarial arts!” she said, frustrated.

Natasha didn’t answer. Instead she grabbed a letter opener and slit the envelope open. A small flash drive fell out onto her palm. Handing it to Felicity, she said dryly. “Ok. Ms MIT Grad. Go get kinky with this,” before walking off towards the elevators.

Felicity snorted inelegantly and stuck out her tongue at Nat’s retreating back. She jumped when Natasha wagged her finger at her. “I can see you in the reflection off these doors.” Nat said, before getting in to the elevator.

 

*

When Oliver returned to his office, Felicity passed him the USB, telling him that she had no idea who the sender was. Plugging it into his computer, he found a single file on it and on opening the file, he stiffened, calling out to Felicity who ran over immediately.

“This is from Slade.” Oliver said through gritted teeth.

Felicity watched as photographs flitted across the screen. “Who is that?” she asked, not recognizing the face of the beautiful woman in the pictures.

“Shado.” Oliver said sadly.

The pictures of Shado were followed by photographs of Sara, Felicity and Laurel Lance, taken from a distance. The words ‘Who do you love most? Who will you lose next?’ flashed across the screen causing Felicity’s heart to quicken.

“Get Natasha up here. We need to get back to the lair right now.” Oliver said, standing up and gesturing for Digg, whose face turned grim after being told what was on the USB.

When Natasha arrived and had been quickly briefed, they made their way down to the underground parking lot, not wanting to be exposed in public. Oliver was worried. He could understand why Laurel’s photo was on the USB. Slade had known how Oliver had obsessed about Laurel when he had been on the island. Oliver had needed to find a reason to live and to get off the island. Laurel had been his reason.

And of course, Slade knew who Sara was, being that she was his current girlfriend. Well, that was until a few days ago but Slade had no way of knowing that. What Oliver wanted to know was why Slade had included Felicity’s picture? He needed to get Felicity back to the lair now, and to a protected environment.

Natasha suddenly came to a halt and Oliver pushed Felicity behind him protectively before edging over to a wall so that she could duck behind it. He signalled to Digg to come around from the side.

Felicity had no idea what was going on. She just knew that there was danger from the way everyone had reacted. Then she heard Isabel Rochev’s voice. “Hello Oliver.” _Geez, will I ever get a break from her?_ Felicity looked skyward in frustration.

“What do you want Isabel?” Oliver asked.

“I promised you that I would make you pay. After all, the sins of the father are the sins of the son.” Isabel said tauntingly, before pulling out a gun and aiming it at them. “Just so you know, it was a pleasure doing business with you, Oliver,” she said just before she started firing in their direction.

Oliver took a running dive toward Isabel but Natasha got there faster. She was a whirl of kicks and twists, somersaulting over Isabel and grabbing the gun from her hold. Oliver was surprised that Isabel could fight, watching her try to defend herself and return the attacks of the Black Widow. But she wasn’t a match for the Avenger and soon found herself overpowered.

“Give it up Isabel.” Natasha growled out, pushing Isabel’s face to the floor.

“Never!” Isabel spat out and reached into her pocket, pulling out a little device.

“Watch out!” Oliver yelled out but Natasha had already noticed and had put two bullets into Isabel, effectively stopping her from pushing a button on what looked like a remote.

“Felicity, it’s safe to come out now.” Oliver called out, watching as Felicity poked her head around the wall.

“Is she dead?” Felicity asked, her voice shaky.

“Yes.” Natasha answered. “We have to get you out of here. I’ll get someone to come back for the body. But for now, we cannot be mixed up in this. We need to leave. Now.”

Felicity found herself ushered into the car and on her way back to the lair in seconds. _This is not turning out to be such a great day!_ She thought, shaking her head sadly.

 

*

Steve was furious that Deathstroke had targeted Felicity and he knew it was because of Oliver. He was also worried sick. He needed to protect her somehow and he knew he was still healing from his gunshot wound and not in peak condition yet.

Felicity tried to calm him down. “Steve. It’s going to be okay. I have all of you here to protect me and I’ll be safe in the lair. Slade won’t be able to get to me here.”

“I won’t let anything happen to Felicity.” Oliver said, looking at Steve.

“And how can you be so sure? We’ve faced his soldiers twice and each time, we’ve had a hard time defeating them.” Steve said, trying to run over various plans in his head.

“We can try boosting the security of the lair as well as the penthouse. Set up extra defences. As long as she stays there, she should be safe.” Clint said.

Felicity wasn’t impressed with the idea. “You mean I won’t be able to leave either place? What about QC or other stuff I need to do?”

Steve shook his head. “It’s too dangerous for now. It’s better you stay where we can keep you safe and until we can find Deathstroke.”

“I’m not going to spend my entire life hiding.” Felicity was getting mad. When Steve stepped forward, she stood up and looked him straight in the eye. “No Steve. I know you want me safe, but I cannot stop living my life every time I’m threatened. We will just have to find another way to keep me safe.”

Steve sighed, pulling Felicity to his side, he nodded, knowing that she was right. If she was going to be in his life, something like this would always happen. He couldn’t hide her forever. “Can I at least get Natasha to train you with some defensive moves and weaponry? It would make me feel just a little bit better knowing that you have something that you could defend yourself with.”

Felicity eyed Natasha, not at all enthusiastic about being trained by the Black Widow. “You won’t hurt me will you?” she asked Natasha

“I’ll try very hard not to.” Natasha smiled back while Felicity asked herself what she had gotten herself into.

“Natasha is a great warrior. She has skills much admired along with her beauty on Midgard. You are well served to be trained by her, Lady Smoak.” Thor said as he smiled down at her.

“Um, okay. Good to know, I guess.” Felicity wasn’t sure what her reply should be to that.

“But fear not, all of us will stand up to protect you. You have my word.” Thor said as Felicity nodded, a little in awe of him still.

She watched him walk away before turning to Natasha. “Is he always like that?”

Natasha smirked at her. “What do you think? Better get used to it.”

Oliver came up to them. “Felicity, this is my fault. But I don’t want you to worry too much. I’ll find Slade and we’ll stop him before he can try to hurt you.” He said, regret on his face.

Felicity frowned at him. “Oliver. There was no way that you could know that Slade would target me. I don’t even understand why he thinks I’m that important to you. I mean, how could I compare to Sara or your Laurel Lance? I find it laughable that he could even think that you would love me like you do them.”

Oliver winced at that. He looked up at Steve before replying. “Right now, all that matters is keeping you safe and I know that you’re safest here with Steve and the others. I’m going to find Sara and Laurel and get them to a safe place too.”

Natasha spoke up just then, having taken a quick call. “I think we have a small problem here. Isabel Rochev’s body has disappeared. It’s nowhere to be found.”

“What? I thought you said that someone would take care of her body.” Oliver was frustrated that yet another problem was cropping up.

“I did. But when they got there, the body had disappeared.” Natasha glared at him.

“Now what could they want with a dead body?” Sam asked.

Tony shrugged. “Ever heard of Frankenstein? Deathstroke has had so many things up his sleeve that I wouldn’t be surprised if he decided to go all creative with us once again.”

“And who is this man, Frankenstein?” Thor asked, bewildered.

“I thought you were a God. You are supposed to know all! Especially since it involves lightning and thunder.” Tony said. He sighed when Thor shot him an angry look. “Never mind. I’m sure you have your own stories on Asgard. Come over here. I’ll give you a quickie version so that you’ll understand. Or maybe I’ll get you to watch a video. Yup. A much better idea.”

 

*

Felicity was insistent that Steve actually get some rest and had pulled him down on their bed, anchoring him there with her legs. _Not that he couldn’t easily push me off if he wanted to_ , she pouted as she curled herself around him.

Steve started to laugh as he gently pushed at her. “I’m not going to move. I’ll stay put as long as you stay here beside me.”

“Oh, I’m not going anywhere. It’s nice and comfy here.” Felicity smiled at him. She unbuttoned his shirt a little so that she could check his wound but all that was left was a faint scar. She gently traced it, wondering how much he had healed on the inside. “Does it still hurt?” she asked him.

“Not much. I sometimes feel a twinge but that’s it. I should be back to feeling one hundred percent soon.” Steve smiled as he kissed her hair.

Felicity placed her hand over his heart so that she could feel his strong heartbeat. She closed her eyes for a minute, remembering the fear she had felt when he had been hurt. She knew that Steve was as afraid for her safety now that she had been threatened and she sighed.

“What are you thinking? Tell me.” Steve lifted her chin so that she would look at him.

“Will we always have to worry about each other this much?” Felicity asked, her voice soft.

Steve gathered her closer, kissing her gently. “I suppose we’re just going to have to get used to it. Although I don’t know how I’m going to be able to do that.”

“Me neither.” Felicity said, placing light kisses on his chest.

“Sweetheart, you had better stop before I decide that I don’t actually need any rest.” Steve said chuckling.

“No hanky panky. Doctor’s orders!” Felicity tapped him on the chest before giving him a loud smacking kiss on the mouth.

“You are incorrigible.” Steve said, sounding frustrated.

“That’s because you are just too delicious. I can’t keep my hands to myself.” Felicity laughed as Steve rolled his eyes at her. Laying her head back on his chest, she was quiet for a while, thinking, before asking him. “Why do you think Slade threatened Oliver with my safety?”

Steve didn’t answer immediately. When he eventually spoke up, his voice sounded resigned. “Felicity, I don’t think you really know how much Oliver cares about you.”

Felicity sat up and looked at Steve. “I know he cares about me. I’m his friend. But that doesn’t explain why Slade would come after me.”

Steve sat up too and took Felicity’s hand in his. “Do you remember how you told me that Oliver only has platonic feelings towards you? I don’t think that’s true. I’ve been watching him and the way he looks at you. I’m pretty sure that he feels more than just friendship towards you. He seems to like it even less when he sees the both of us together.”

Felicity looked at Steve, her eyes wide with surprise. “You’re kidding, right?” When Steve remained silent, Felicity sighed. She didn’t want Steve doubting them. She scooted closer to him, and her hurt ached at the expression on his face. He looked uncertain and she knew she needed to tell him.

“Steve, look at me.” she said as she climbed on top of his lap, straddling him. “Steve Rogers. You listen to me now. You don’t have to worry about Oliver, even if you are right and he does have feelings for me. Do you know why?” She watched as Steve’s eyes changed, becoming a little wider with hope. “Because I finally met this wonderful man. He has the kindest, most loyal, giving, bravest, compassionate heart of anyone I’ve ever met and I’m the luckiest girl in the world to have him as my man. And it also helps that I’m falling crazy in love with him.” She gave him a sweet smile before saying. “I Love You. Just you. No one else.” She didn’t manage to get anything else out because she found herself crushed to him in a heart-stopping kiss.

After what seemed like forever, Steve lifted his head slightly and took her face in his hands, his eyes just a few inches from hers. “I love you too. So very, very much.” He felt like his heart would burst as she smiled sweetly up at him, her eyes shining brightly as she pulled him back to her for the sweetest kiss she had ever given him yet.

Felicity refused to allow them to make love that night, worried about Steve’s wound even though he had assured her he was fine. They made up for it by lovingly stripping each other of their clothes, laying gentle loving kisses everywhere. They curled up together, skin against skin, feeling the intimacy between them as they whispered softly, caressing each other, sharing soft kisses and looks. It was a long time before they eventually fell asleep, with Steve’s lips to her forehead in a kiss as he held her close to him.


	21. Work Your Magic

 

The next few days passed quietly but this seemed to put everyone more on edge. With Deathstroke’s supply of Mirakuru being blown up along with QC’s Applied Sciences division, he would now have to find an alternative means to manufacturing the serum. They just needed to wait till he made his move.

Oliver kept to himself, angry at the situation and snapping at anyone who came near him. He had tried to talk to Laurel, but she was not in a good place, having lost her job and sinking into a drunken stupor. Felicity couldn’t help but feel sorry for her, thinking what a far cry Laurel was now from the beautiful elegant woman she had first met. Laurel had refused to listen to Oliver’s lame excuses as to why she needed to leave the city, thinking that he was just trying to get rid of her now that he was dating Sara. Of course, Oliver couldn’t tell her the real reason why she needed to get to safer place or that her sister and him seemed to be over. He couldn’t find Sara either and guessed that she might have left the city.

Felicity initially left Oliver alone, feeling unsure after what Steve had said about Oliver’s feelings toward her. However, when she didn’t notice anything different in his demeanour besides him being moody and broody, she relaxed a little, returning to the way she always interacted with him.

Digg didn’t seem to be in a better place either, sitting by himself and brooding quietly. Finally Felicity gave up and stormed over to him, dragging him to a private corner before demanding to know what was going on with him.

“Lyla is pregnant.” Digg said, his face upset.

“Oh Digg. That’s wonderful news. You are going to be such a wonderful father. Wait. Why do you look like you drank a whole carton of turned milk? You are the father right?” Felicity asked, as indelicate as usual.

“Yes, I’m the father, Felicity.” Digg tried to smile.

“Then what’s wrong? Why do you look like that? Is there something wrong with Lyla or the baby?” Felicity asked concerned.

Digg shook his head. “Nothing like that, thank goodness. But with all that is going on here, I worry about Lyla. She is refusing to listen to me when I asked her to quit the Suicide Squad. She insists that it’s her job and that she needs to carry with what we are doing. But Deathstroke and his soldiers, they are too strong for us and much too dangerous. I don’t know how to protect her or the baby.” Digg was beginning to sound desperate and Felicity couldn’t imagine the worry he was going through.

“Oh Digg.” Felicity hugged him, wanting to give him some comfort. “This is a team. We look out for each other and the people we love. No matter what.”

“What Lady Smoak says is true.” Thor had overheard and walked up to them both. “Perhaps I can offer a solution. Should Lady Lyla agree, I might escort her to where she and the baby will be kept safe. Deathstroke will not be able to reach her there and you will have peace of mind.”

Digg smiled at Thor gratefully. “I appreciate the offer although I’m not sure if Lyla will agree to something like that. However, if she does, I might just take you up on it, if that’s the only solution for to keep them both away from the fighting here.”

Thor nodded. “You only need speak the word and I will make it happen.”

Felicity walked back with Thor to where Bruce, Tony and Maria were working on their computers. “Thank you. You don’t know how much it means to him to know that he can keep Lyla safe.”

“Lady Smoak.” Thor started to say.

“Thor, can you please just call me Felicity. I find it odd to be called my name with such formality.” Felicity smiled up at him.

“Very well, Felicity,” Thor said. “We all know what it is like to worry about the ones we love. I keep my beloved safe and someone is always watching her.”

“What’s her name?” Felicity was curious.

Thor smiled. “Her name is Jane. And you remind me of her. You are both loyal, stubborn but very brave.”

“Hey. I’m not stubborn.” Felicity tried to look offended but she ended up smiling at Thor anyway. “I would very much like to meet her someday.”

“And so you shall.” Thor said before taking his leave.

Felicity sat down with a sigh and Maria turned to look at her. “That’s a big sigh.”

“Yes. And I hope they don’t get bigger.” Felicity said as she scanned the screens. She frowned as she noticed something. “Maria, take a look at this. If you look at these grids, there seem to be power surges that affect at least one of these grids on any given day, but it looks like the surges cycle. “Jarvis, can you pull up a map of the entire city and divide them into their assigned power sectors. Then call you call up this data I’m looking back and show where the surges are in the order that they come.”

“Certainly, Ms Smoak.” Jarvis replied before the screen lit up, coloured blocks flashing over the map of Starling City.

“It looks like a rotating wheel.” Felicity said, amazed. “Jarvis, is there any way you can pinpoint a sector that lights up more than the others?” she asked, her mind whirling with ideas.

Tony had come over to join them, frowning as he looked at the screen. “What could be happening is that they are sucking power from alternate sources and feeding it to the location that there are at. It’s strange that the source doesn’t show a power bloom but maybe they have found a way to hide it. But what would need to feed off that much power?” He asked as he stared at the screen.

“A machine. And it must be big.” Bruce said. He was silent a few minutes as he thought it through. “One probability is if Deathstroke is trying to inject the serum into that many people, he will need a machine to run somewhat like giving a blood transfusion. He may be hiding behind something that we find absolutely normal, in plain sight. Perhaps refrigeration. Slowing down the transfusion of serum into the blood may slow down the chemical reactions that occur within the body, preventing the body from going into shock. It might allow the body to better adapt to the changes that are happening.” He walked off quickly, eager to see if he could use that within his experiments.

“Refrigeration. Makes sense.” Tony said. “Jarvis, are there any large buildings with refrigeration or similar facilities on the lists were are checking?”

“Yes, there are sir. I’ve pulled them up on the screen for you.” Jarvis replied.

“Alright, Smoakie. Time to work your magic.” Tony grinned at Felicity as she began running scans and pulling data feeds for the multiple areas.

 

*

Less than an hour later, they had found what they thought was Deathstroke’s base. It was a large warehouse that had refrigerated storage facilities. Although the company seemed innocent enough, the data pulled showed that they had been suspected of being related to mob activities. Thermal scans did not show much within the building but there was a strange blacked out area that did not tally with the floor plans they had pulled.

“Can we recon the place?” Steve asked when he saw that they wouldn’t be able to get any further information from their scans.

“We can, but it needs to be manual and not a bird.” Sam said.

“I swear if there is any more army lingo flying around, I will bring Thor’s hammer to your head.” Tony said, pissed at the lack of plain language.

“You will never be deserving of Mjolnir, metal man!” Thor sniffed at the thought of Tony lifting his hammer.

“Can we please just focus on the task at hand?” Steve said, getting irritated. “Barton, Nat and Oliver. How about the three of you go. Sam, would you be able to go silent and get us a bird’s eye view?”

“Not a problem.” Sam said, grabbing the camera that would send them back live feed.

From the images and live feed sent back, they found that there were no sentries posted or people going in or out of the building. However, there were an inordinate amount of security cameras which would enable scanning of the surrounding area from a remote location. They figured that the warehouse was the best lead they had on Deathstroke for the moment. Now all they had to do was come up with a plan and the neutralizing agent.

“I have the perfect plan.” Tony said. “Both Thor and the Hulk can just go in and smash everything to bits.” He pointed at Bruce. “Hulk Smash!”

“That might resolve the immediate problem, but we still need to find Deathstroke. Remember, we still have not figured out what H.I.V.E. is planning with Deathstroke and how we can stop the manufacture of this serum. We need a much better plan!” Steve responded, already tired of Tony.

Bruce looked up from where he was checking the data on his computer. “I think I’ve managed to isolate some of the chemical reactions occurring from Mirakuru. If I can successfully inhibit some of these reactions, then we might have a chance of using this against Deathstroke and his army. I just need to test it first.”

“And who are you going to test it on?” Oliver said, knowing what the answer would be.

“I’m sorry but we have no other choice. He is the only one that we can test it on unless you can bring me back a live guinea pig.” Bruce was apologetic.

Oliver was angry. Here he was faced yet again with putting someone he knew in danger. Rather than responding, he turned to walk away.

Felicity went up to him, holding on to his arm, worried about him. “Oliver,” she started to say.

“Felicity, don’t,” was all he said before he walked out of the lair.

 

*

Steve sat on one of the beds in the lair, his arm around Felicity as she slept, her head on his shoulder. Roy had been injected with the anti-serum and they were waiting for him to wake up to see if it worked. It had been three hours with no results yet. However, Bruce had warned that Roy had been heavy sedated with enough tranquilizers to bring down an elephant. They would just have to wait for the effects of the sedative to wear off first.

As he leaned back against the wall, he rested his head on hers, breathing in her sweet scent. Ever since the night she had told him she loved him, his heart had swelled every time he had looked at her and he craved just being able to touch her. Never had he felt like this for anyone before, and the depth of his feelings scared him.

With Deathstroke still out there, he knew that Felicity was still not safe. But she seemed fearless in her search for Slade or his army, not once wavering because she was scared or worried about her own safety. Steve was finding it difficult to sleep, terrified that they would be attacked when they were most vulnerable. Although they had boosted the defences in the penthouse, he couldn’t imagine it holding up to Slade and his army if they decided to invade their private space. He felt the same way about the lair. He knew that they needed to get to Deathstroke first before they were attacked.

Felicity shifted a little before waking up, her eyes sleepy and her glasses askew. “What time is it?” she mumbled.

“It’s a little after ten.” Steve told her, brushing the hair away from her face.

“Hmm, it’s that late? Has Roy woken up yet?” she struggled to sit up a little and looked in Roy’s direction.

Steve shifted her closer as she sat up. “Not yet. I would have woken you if he had. Felicity, you do know that when Roy wakes up, he might not be the Roy that you know. We don’t know what damage has been done to his brain that made him lose control like that. And we don’t know if this anti-serum will work.”

“I know Steve. But I have to have faith that Roy will be okay. And if there is anyone who can find a way to get Roy better, it’s Bruce. I’ve seen him at work. Oh yes I have, multiple times.” Felicity said with a grin.

Steve chuckled as he hugged her to him, kissing her on the nose. “Alright then, little miss-everything-will-turn-out-fine-and-dandy. Do you want to continue to wait here all night or go home to bed?”

Felicity looked over at Bruce before nuzzling Steve. “I think they will call us if anything happens right? How about we go home so that you can take a shower. And after that, I’m taking you straight to bed. I mean, I’m putting you bed.”

“Sweetheart, you know I’m already fully healed, right.” He said, his voice suggestive.

“Oh no, you don’t Steve. Straight to bed it will be.” Felicity said as she stood up, getting ready to leave.

 

*

They made it as far as the shower.

Steve had wanted to help Felicity scrub her back, before he had progressed to gently lathering soap over her delectable bum, squeezing it gently as he pulled her against him. She slid against him under the hot spray as they kissed, plundering each other’s mouths. His hands massaged her breasts, tweaking her nipples before running down her stomach, slick with soap. Testing her with a finger, he found her wet and he pushed one finger in, thumbing her clit as she moaned, dragging his head down so she could taste his lips.

It wasn’t long before she had him hard in her hands, sliding soap over him as she pumped him, his moans encouraging her to move faster. He turned her so that she was facing the shower wall, rubbing himself against her bum. “Felicity, hold on.” He ran out to get a condom, sliding it on before coming back to stand behind her, biting her shoulder gently before licking it. She moaned as he rubbed himself against her slick entrance, and she stood on tiptoe as he pushed in gently from behind. They stayed still for a moment before he started to thrust up into her. He held her up as she stood, her hand splayed against the wall, feeling the hot spray coursing down them, the water serving to heighten all sensation.

His hands moved back to her breasts, gently massaging them as he continued to thrust up, her back rubbing against his chest. “I need more Steve.” She gasped out before reaching for his hand and moving it down to the swollen nub, asking him to rub it.

He curved over her as he thrust harder, hearing her moans becoming louder as he rubbed her clit frantically. He felt her lose her balance, her hands sliding down the wall as she pitched forward laughing. Lifting her up, he turned her so she was facing him, plunging back into her as she wound one leg around his waist, bracing herself against the wall. He caught her mouth, tasting her sweetness as she moaned into his kiss. Lifting her up, he held her by the hips, moving her down as he thrust up into her, making her see stars.

“Steve,” she panted, her eyes locked onto his, welcoming him as he rocked into her. She felt the tension building, the water making the friction of their bodies sliding against each other even more intense and soon she was crying out. He kissed her, swallowing her cries as she came before moving away to look back into her eyes as he continued to thrust. He wanted to feel her still, not wanting to end, but as she clenched around him, coming down from her high, the look of love on her face sent him into spasms as he came.

He washed her gently after and rubbed them both dry with a towel. Wrapping her up to keep her warm, he carried her to their bed, pulling the bedspread over them.

“Steve.” She breathed as she curled into him, her face against his, her favourite spot.

He pulled wet hair away from her face, smoothing it back as caressing her cheek. “Yes sweetheart?”

“That was a first. Making love in the shower. But it was amazing. We need to try that again.” She giggled as he  cupped her bum, pinching it.

“I am never going to look at a shower the same way again. And that’s because of you.” Steve chuckled, kissing her hair.

Felicity could only smile happily. “I guess we are going to have a lot of firsts.”

“Not only firsts. But seconds and thirds and a lot more afters.” Steve replied softly.

She lifted her head to look at him then. “Isn’t it crazy that not so long ago, I never knew that someone as wonderful as you would be in my life?”

“And now I don’t know what I would do without you in it.” He said, looking at her with his intense blue eyes.

“I love you.” She said as she gazed back at him.

He slowly and tenderly kissed her eyelids, then her nose and then her lips, before whispering back. “And I love you.”

Long after Felicity fell asleep, Steve lay awake still worried. He knew that Deathstroke would make his move soon and he had no idea how he would try to get to Felicity. He prayed that the additional defences the team had set up would work, because if they didn’t, they had no other plan of action.

 

 

* * *

Notes: Thought we needed more of a Steve/ Felicity centric chapter before whatever else is coming up next. Plus, I just wanted to make sure you didn’t forget that they could be sexy beasts too. Hope you had fun reading it!


	22. Wreckage

Felicity was upset that they hadn’t called them when Roy had awakened. She found him sitting on a chair, sipping a cup of coffee, staring off into space as in deep in thought. “Roy,” she spoke gently, not knowing how he would react.

“Hi Felicity.” He smiled up at her.

She frowned at that. His response seemed strange. Where was the cool Roy that she knew? She turned to look at Bruce, her face confused.

He shrugged. “It could be the sedatives that we gave him that are making him a little loopy. That’s why I didn’t call you. He woke up a very happy boy. It wasn’t natural. I had to wait to see what else would happen. Just in case.”

“How do you feel?” Felicity asked, turning back to Roy.

“Pretty good. I don’t remember much though, just that I had gone to sleep and I woke up here. What happened? Nobody here wants to tell me what’s been going on.” Roy looked at Felicity, hopeful that at least she would fill him in.

 _Oh God! He doesn’t know what he did._ Felicity tried to school her face into something that might look neutral. “Um… well…”

“We’ll fill you in on everything later.” Natasha said, stepping in to help Felicity. “Let’s wait till Queen and Diggle get here and then we’ll talk.”

Roy nodded and sat patiently with Bruce who continued to run scans on him.

“Thank you.” Felicity whispered to Natasha, “Letting me loose with this mouth of mine would have been a major error. I could have tried to lie, but I know I don’t lie well. My face says it all. Always. People have told me so. And if it’s not on my face, then it’s straight from my mouth. Remember, I babble.” She pointed a finger towards herself.

“I’ve noticed.” Natasha actually smiled this time. “And you’re welcome. Smoak.” Turning to leave, she said, “I like you honest. It means I know I don’t have to watch my back around you.”

Felicity watched Natasha as she walked away. _What happened to her to make her this distrustful of everyone? Does she even allow herself to have friends? Someone she can turn to if she needs._

She walked over to Clint, who was sitting quietly watching Roy and Bruce. “Hey you. Are you going to go get some rest? You’ve been here all night, haven’t you?”

Clint nodded. “Yeah. I’m just waiting for everyone to get here first. I’ll leave once we’ve had a chance to talk. If the anti-serum works, we’ll have to go in and check out that site you found. I’m sure that the Doc is going to want to wait at least a few hours to see what happens with Roy first. Just so we have all bases covered.”

“Sounds like a plan. A good plan.” Felicity tilted her head, thinking.

Clint shot her an amused look. “What? I’m beginning to know that the head tilt means that your brain is working overtime.”

Felicity grinned. “Do you guys have trackers? We have some but I’m sure yours are way more high tech. If you do, I can try to boost them. If you can plant them on someone there, we might be able to follow them.”

“Huh.” Clint smiled. “It’s just too weird that you are beginning to think like Nat now. I see both of you like your toys.”

 

*

By the time Oliver and Digg arrived, Roy’s good mood was starting to wane. In fact, he was back to being all frowns and angst all over again.

“How are you?” Oliver asked Roy the moment he came in.

“What is it with the thirty questions? All of them always the same.” Roy groused.

“Well, that didn’t last long. The kid was all sunshine two minutes ago.” Tony said, his brows raised.

Bruce sighed. “I told you that this anti-serum only gives temporary results. It’s not a cure. The problem is that I can’t get a definite read as to how long it actually works for because the parameters are different with Roy.”

“What do you mean?” Oliver asked.

“I mean, we had him on some very powerful tranquilizers to sedate him. They depress the nervous system and treat anxiety and panic. The anti-serum does the same thing, in a way. So for me to actually test how long the anti-serum works for, I need for Roy’s blood to be clear of sedatives. That will give us a true reading.”

“Are you saying that we have to let him lapse back to being crazy, then shoot him up again?” Sam was the one who was indignant this time. “I can’t believe that you would do that to the poor kid.”

“And you don’t know whether this anti-serum you have created will have any harmful side effects the more someone takes it.” Felicity said, worried about Roy.

Tony turned to her. “We all do things in the name of science, Smoakie.”

“No. You are playing with things you do not understand.” Thor said angrily.

“Hey. You know, I’m sitting right here listening to all of you talking about me. Will somebody please just tell me what is going on?” Roy said angrily.

They all paused for a moment, unsure as to what to tell him.

Oliver was the one who spoke first. “If we tell you, you need to stay calm. Can you do that?” Oliver winced when Tony snorted.

Roy looked back and forth between Oliver and Tony, getting a little scared but trying to put on a brave front. “I need you to tell me.”

“Do you remember anything at all?” Bruce asked. When Roy shook his head, he continued. “Let me first explain what is happening to you. The Mirakuru in your system causes an enormous amount of changes in your body and brain. The longer it stays in your system, the more intense the chemical reactions. I think what happened a few nights ago was that the chemical reactions became too intense and you began to hallucinate, losing touch with reality. You left your home and it looks like you tried to bypass any obstacle you came across. Violently.”

“That’s not all, is it?” Roy looked like he was holding his breath, knowing that the worst was yet to come.

“No, it isn’t.” Bruce said sadly. “You eventually came across people. We don’t know what they did to anger you but it looks like you tried to get them out of your way.”

“I killed them?” Roy asked quietly.

“Not them, no.” Bruce replied.

“But I did kill someone.” Roy said, not asking a question.

“Yes. You killed a cop. He may have tried to stop you or you may have some unconscious anger towards the police based on your past experience with them. We’re not sure. I’m sorry.” Bruce said sadly, knowing full well what it felt like to lose control and have to deal with the awful consequences afterward.

Roy sat stock still, his face full of pain and shame. “What have become?” he asked, his voice desperate.

Oliver tried to reach out to him. “Roy, it wasn’t your fault. All of this is not your fault.”

Roy just looked at Oliver, tears in his eyes. “Then tell me. That cop’s family. Whose fault is it that they have lost a father, a husband and a son?”

No one could answer him. They just looked on sadly as Roy buried his head in his hands, overcome with what he was feeling.

 

*

Steve sat next to Felicity as she typed, her fingers flying over the virtual keys. She had been silent for the past half hour which was beginning to worry him. He had never known her to be this quiet unless she was sleeping, and even then, she would sometimes softly babble in her sleep.

He reached over, hating to interrupt her at work, but needing to know that she was alright. Brushing her cheek, he asked her if she was okay. But when she turned to him, her eyes were bright. “Hey, come here.” He said, pulling her to him so he could hold her. “Roy is going to be fine. Bruce will find a way to get him better.”

“But it’s not going to heal his heart. He’s hurting. I heard him talking to Oliver. He wants to break up with Thea because he thinks he might hurt her too. And I can’t just sit here and do nothing. But I don’t know what I can do to make this better for him.” Felicity said, her voice so very sad.

Steve tilted her face up so that she was looking at him. “That’s where you are wrong.” He said firmly. “You can be his friend and be there for him. You can support him because this is the time that he is going to need it most. You have a wonderful light inside you Felicity that just makes people feel better when they are around you. What you need to do is care for him and let him know that he is not alone. We will all be there to work through this with him.”

“How do you always know how to make me feel better?” Felicity smiled up at him.

Steve shrugged and kissed her. “Maybe because you’re my best girl?”

Felicity laughed at that. “Yup! You’ve got that right!” She hugged him, her chin on his shoulder, taking a moment to just hold him, her chest swelling with emotion. “Ok Baby. I need to get back to work. Off you go!”

Steve quirked an eyebrow at her. “Baby?” he chuckled as he walked off.

 _Uh… maybe not_. Felicity’s face went red.

 

*

The team stormed the warehouse that night with Meta and Raven directing them through the building on comms.

“Well I guess there’s no welcoming party? Yoo hoo! Anyone home?” Tony called out.

Oliver winced. “Will you just be quiet? For once!”

“What is that?” Steve asked, ignoring them both while looking at the contraption in front of them.

“Stark. Pan your camera so that we can see what you guys are looking at.” Maria said.

“Wow. Is that the machine? That’s big. And what are those green tubes?” Felicity asked, looking at image on the screen in front of her.

“Probably for the transfusion of the Mirakuru. We have quite a few dead guys here. Looks like they didn’t like being fed the green stuff.” Tony looked around at the bodies in prison uniforms lying around, dried blood around their eyes.

Felicity closed her eyes, not wanting to see such horror close up. “That’s a lot of dead people.”

“That would also mean that there might be an equal number of them that survived.” Bruce said. He was sitting beside Felicity, looking at the screen. “Do you see anything else? Did they leave anything behind?”

“Only the machine and the dead. I don’t understand why they left the machine though.” Hawkeye said as he searched the room, looking to see if there was any clue to where Deathstroke might have gone.

“Maybe it was too big to take with them?” Oliver asked, finding it equally strange.

“Well, they managed to get it here. Why would they not be able to leave with it?” Steve was thinking fast. Something was wrong. He didn’t feel right about any of this. “Meta, is there any way you can check if there was any change in the pattern of power feeds that you were looking at the other day. This place doesn’t look like it was deserted a long time ago. It was recent. There might have been something that changed that we didn’t know to look for.”

He waited a minute but there was silence over the comms. “Meta? Are you reading us? Meta? Raven?” he called out again, starting to panic when all he heard was silence.

“Stark, you need to get me back right now.” Steve knew that something was very wrong. He had to get back to her, terrified that he would be too late.

Tony, grabbed Steve. “Hold on now and try not to kill me. She’ll be fine. Falcon, bring Natasha with you. Bruce is there too and there is no telling if he’s changed. Nat is the only one that can calm him down. Thor. You need to come too.” He yelled as he flew off with Steve.

Oliver felt helpless as he watched them fly off. He was left with Digg and Hawkeye and they ran to the vehicle they had arrived in, cursing that it was parked so far away. He didn’t believe in praying, but this was the one time that he prayed that Felicity was alright. She had to be alright.

 

*

Steve, Tony and Thor arrived first at Verdant to find the door to the lair crushed. Everything was silent and Steve could hear his blood pounding in his ears. Leaping over the stairs to the floor below, his heart was in his throat as he saw the destruction in front of him. The lair was dark but he could see that part of the ceiling caved in and some walls had holes in them. Cabinets had been smashed or lay on the floor and their hardware overturned, with sparks and debris everywhere.

He looked around wildly for Felicity, terrified that he would see her limp body somewhere. Tony scanned the area for any signs of danger but didn’t detect anything.

“Felicity!” Steve yelled out, running through the lair as he pushed aside overturned machines and tables, trying to find her.

“Steve. We’re here.” He heard her call out and swung around trying to figure out where she was. “We’re trapped. There’s a door that looks like it’s part of the wall.”

Following the sound of her voice, Steve, Thor and Tony ripped away the crushed metal cabinets and the heap of debris which blocked the door, before tearing it open. Steve’s relief was overwhelming to find Felicity safe behind it, Maria with her. He pulled her to him, holding her tight.

“Steve. I can’t breathe. You have to let up a bit.” She gasped out.

Immediately relaxing his hold a little, he held her to him before looking her over, upset to see that she was bleeding from a wound on her head. “You’re bleeding. Are you hurt badly? Let me look.” He said as he tried to examine her wound as tenderly as he could.

“I’m fine. I just bumped it when we tried to hide.” Felicity said, trying to reassure him.

“What happened here?” Tony asked Maria as she came out of what looked like a tiny storage room.

“Deathstroke stormed the lair and he used something that cut the power so we couldn’t raise you on comms. When he attacked, one of his men grabbed Bruce and he lost it. Felicity only had time to get us both to the place we were hiding.” Maria explained, strangely calm. “We couldn’t make out what was happening outside but it sounded like all hell broke loose. Where is Roy?” she finally asked.

Sam and Natasha arrived, running down to meet them, relieved that Felicity and Maria were safe. Natasha grimly observed the destruction surrounding them. “It was the big guy wasn’t it?” Nat asked as she looked around.

“Yes. But it wasn’t his fault. Deathstroke attacked the lair and set him off. You need to track him and bring him back.” Steve told her. “Sam, go with Nat. Call in when you find him and we’ll come get you.” Sam nodded as he followed Natasha out.

“There’s no one else here. And we didn’t see anyone when we came in. There’s no sign of Roy.” Steve said, knowing Felicity would worry. He knew that Natasha would be able to find Bruce, calmer and in need of rest. But he had no idea what had happened to Roy. Was he hurt or worse, dead? He hoped not.

He was still holding Felicity to him, her head resting on his chest as he stroked her hair. He didn’t even want to think about what could have happened if she hadn’t managed to hide with Maria. Would the Hulk have hurt her? Would she have been hurt, killed by Deathstroke or missing like Roy was right now? Steve shuddered at the thought as he held her as tightly as he could without hurting her.

Felicity looked up at him, seeing the desperation still in his eyes. “I’m alright. I want you to take a good look at me and know that I’m fine. Okay?” She wrapped her arms around his waist and gently stroking his back. She knew he had been terrified all over again and sighed. They would really need to find a way to handle having each other in danger.

Oliver and Digg arrived with Clint shortly after. When they ran in, Felicity had given Steve a sweet kiss before going over to them where they both held her close, relieved that she was safe.

“Are you sure you are okay?” Oliver asked as he looked her over.

“Oliver. I’m fine. See, it’s just a little scratch. It’s nothing.” Felicity said, trying to set his mind at ease.

Oliver placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “As long as you are safe.”

Steve watched them sadly as Felicity told them that Roy was missing and they then made their way around what had once been the lair, looking over the wreckage. He went to stand by Tony and Clint, a stubborn set to his jaw. “We need to end this. I don’t care how we do it, but this is not right. Find a way!”

Tony turned to him, his eyes angry. “I would if I could, but even the anti-serum is now missing. We need to find Banner so that we can get this started again. Slade Wilson is going to regret messing with my stuff. I hate it when people touch my stuff! Save what you can because we’re going to have to find another place to set up base.”

 

 

* * *

Notes: This was a painful chapter for Roy. I didn’t like writing it at all but I always want to try to give a little insight into what each character is thinking. As much as I can anyway, where it will fit into a chapter. Hoped you liked the chapter though, and as always, let me know what you thought of it. You are very much a source of inspiration and courage when it comes to my writing!


	23. Control Your Anger

 

Natasha had found Bruce and had brought him back to the lair, where they managed to find him some new clothes to a wear. He had been extremely upset that he had lost control and had almost hurt Felicity and Maria. Bruce had looked so sad and apologetic that Felicity couldn’t help but hug him, telling him that this was not his fault and that he had been pushed to lose control. Bruce had hugged Felicity back, just grateful that she was alright, although she was still a little shaken up from having come face to face with the Big Guy.

Natasha had examined the place where Felicity and Maria had hidden and had come up with a startling revelation. She felt that the Hulk had not tried to get at them both. If he had tried to, the door and wall were not strong enough to have kept him out. Rather, it was like he had tried to protect them by piling heavy items in front of the door so that Deathstroke and those with him would have had trouble getting to them.

No one was more surprised by this than Bruce himself. He had very little memory of what had happened and he always thought that the Hulk was not able to control his rage. But if there was even a slim chance that he could work with his team, it would be an incredible advantage. They thought back to the attack on New York and the one time the Hulk had worked with them against a bigger enemy.

“I think it’s because Bruce is secretly in love with Maria.” Tony smirked. “Or maybe it’s Felicity that he has a crush on. All the girls just love Brucie boy here.”

That earned him a cold look from Maria and an even cooler one from Natasha. “What? What did I say now?” Tony raised his hands in the air in mock surrender.

With the lair ruined, they had to temporarily reconvene their base to the penthouse till they could come up with something better. It would be a little crowded for everyone and there would be little segregation of living and working spaces which meant less privacy for all.

Tony pointed at Steve and Felicity. “This means that you guys are going to have to gag yourselves. I’ve had to sleep with ear plugs some nights with all the sounds I’ve heard coming from your room.”

Steve and Felicity flushed crimson, not having a clue that they had been that loud that everyone could hear them. Felicity was beyond embarrassed and didn’t know where to look, her eyes eventually falling on Digg who just raised his brows and smiled at her. _Thank you so much John Diggle_ , she thought angrily before her eyes fell on Oliver, standing there, a grimace on his face. Felicity looked at him thoughtfully, very much aware that he should not be so upset on hearing something like this. She tucked her thoughts away, wanting to think about it at a better time. Everyone had more important things to consider right now.

Oliver and Digg started to pack up anything they could salvage that they would need. They had no choice but to bring their gear to the penthouse, figuring that all other options were temporarily out of the question.

With most of the tech and lab equipment destroyed, the Avengers now had to make do with bare bones equipment. Tony and Bruce could purchase new tech from nearby, but they would not be able to build anything close to what they had been working with prior to the destruction of the lair. And, it was now late and they all could not get to the things they needed anyway till the next morning.

They brought back everything they could back to the penthouse and Felicity was never happier that she had thought to get them a place that afforded them privacy with a personal elevator. No one would see them coming and going, which is what they needed right now. Of course, if the Hulk decided to let loose in the penthouse, they would all be in deep, deep trouble.

Dumping everything in a heap at one end of the living room, they all sat around, frustrated as they looked at each other. Everyone was surprised when it was Natasha who spoke up first. “There must be a reason why they have been a step ahead of us every time. We’ve been cornered and ambushed. Today was a set-up that was planned from the start. They may have even known about the anti-serum. We need to find out how they know what we are doing. ”

“A spy?” Clint asked.

Natasha shook her head. “No. Everyone here has is clean. He has found another way to get to us.”

“Then we need to take the time to find out. In the meantime, we have to be extra vigilant and double check everything we do. We cannot afford to make any mistakes.” Steve said. He looked at Felicity, who was sitting beside him, her hand on his leg. “I think we also need to make sure we don’t leave our team undefended like today. If it hadn’t been for the Hulk, Deathstroke might have been able to hit us where he thinks we are weak. He might not have known that he would set off the Big Guy. We don’t know what he was planning on doing, coming to the lair. But he knew we would all not be there. We can’t let that happen again.”

“Some of us should always be around then. As a line of defence.” Sam said as everyone nodded. It was frustrating, not having all hands in the field, but Slade was smart and he was hitting them where it counted. They had to be smarter, somehow.

“So what do we do now?” Oliver asked, angry that things were not moving once again.

“We rest. Gather ourselves and start again in the morning.” Steve said somberly.

“I’m not going to just sit here while Roy is somewhere out there.” Oliver growled.

“And what would you like us to do? Tear the whole city apart to find him? We have no idea if he ran away or was taken. Where do we start?” Steve responded angrily.

“If this was Felicity, you would not be saying that. You would be out there searching for her. Roy obviously is of no importance to you. But I swore to protect my team. And I’m going to damn well do that!” Oliver clenched his fists as he stood up.

“Alright, everyone needs to just chill. Oliver.” Digg put his hand on Oliver’s shoulder, silently asking him to calm down. Oliver shrugged him off and stalked off to another room.

Felicity squeezed Steve’s hand and when he nodded and sighed, Felicity stood up to follow Oliver. She found him looking out the window, his hands clenched by his sides angrily.

“Oliver. You need to know that everyone will do all they can to find Roy.” Felicity said as she came to stand behind him.

“Really? Well I’m finding that very hard to believe. You are not doing anything. It seems like you don’t particularly care enough.” Oliver said angrily, refusing to turn around.

“You know that is not true. I will do whatever I can to get Roy back safely.” Felicity said, her tone hurt.

“Well maybe you need to pull your head out of this new relationship you’ve found and put yourself back in the game. Stop doing things halfway.” Oliver spat out.

Now Felicity was really offended. “Excuse me. What is that supposed to mean?”

“I’m not going to repeat myself.” Oliver ground out.

“Why does it seem that we had this conversation before Oliver?” she asked, moving to stand in front of him so that he would look at her.

He glanced at her before looking away. “Because every time someone new and exciting comes into your life, you go running off to be with them instead of focusing on what is important.”

Felicity was getting really angry. “And what is more important than what we have been working on?”

Oliver finally turned to fully face her. “Us, Felicity. Us!”

Her mouth dropped open and she snapped it shut. She responded using her loud voice. “There is no Us, Oliver. There has never been an Us. You have made damn sure of it! So now you see Steve and me together and what? You are suddenly jealous that I’m happy? When was my relationship with someone a cause of concern for you? When it got in the way of you being top dog?”

“That’s not what I meant and you know it!” Oliver lost all patience as he shouted back at her.

They both stared at each other angrily before Felicity turned on her heel, storming off. “I need to get out of here,” she muttered, almost colliding with Digg who was standing in the doorway watching them both.

Digg approached Oliver slowly, before asking, “What are you doing now Oliver? Do you still have your head rammed up your ass over Felicity being with Steve?”

Oliver gritted his teeth. “That’s not what this is about.”

Exasperated, Digg sent Oliver an impatient look. “Really Oliver? I know you. Maybe better than you know yourself. And I know that you’ve had feelings for Felicity for a long time. When are you going to stop lying to yourself and admit those feelings?”

“Fine! I admit I have feelings for Felicity. Are you happy now?” Oliver swung around to face Digg.

Digg sighed. “Oliver. I am happy that you are not running away from your feelings. I’m also sorry that you’ve missed any chance you had with Felicity. But I won’t apologise for being happy for her now that she has found someone who truly loves and cares for her.”

Digg left Oliver alone after that, knowing that was what Oliver wanted.

 

*

Steve couldn’t help but hear everything that had been said between Oliver and Felicity. He hadn’t wanted to but they had been practically shouting. He wondered if everyone else had heard too but no one was looking his way so he assumed they either hadn’t or they were being sensitive about it.

He, however was furious with Oliver. So when Felicity had stormed out, red-faced and spitting mad, he had gathered her up in his arms and marched them off to their bedroom, ignoring all the knowing grins everyone had sent their way.

She was now sitting on the bed, watching him pace back and forth in the confines of their room. “Aren’t I the one that’s supposed to be angry here? Why are you all upset?” She asked him having calmed down slightly. Or rather, she had really enjoyed being hauled off caveman style by Steve. It had gotten her quite hot and bothered and had worked on getting her mind off her spat with Oliver.

“I heard what you both were saying in there. I didn’t mean to but you were both talking so loudly.” Steve said, a little embarrassed to admit he had unwittingly eavesdropped.

“So you’re mad at me?” Felicity asked, frowning.

“No. I’m mad at Oliver.” Steve turned towards her, frustration on his face.

“And why are you mad with Oliver?” Felicity asked, her brows raised.

“He shouldn’t have questioned how dedicated you are to what you are doing. And he shouldn’t have brought up the both of you.” Steve said, although he told himself that he shouldn’t really be that upset.

Felicity got up and walked toward Steve, tugging on his shirt. “Steve Rogers. Are you jealous of Oliver?”

“No. Yes. Well, I guess.” Steve admitted, a little shamefaced.

Felicity grinned up at him. “I think I like it when you are jealous. And angry and indignant on my behalf.” She reached up and pulled his head down so she could kiss him, biting his lip and licking it better. “No matter what Oliver says to me, it will not change the way I feel about you. Maybe in the past, if he had been honest about how he felt, I would have waited for him. But then I wouldn’t have met you now, would I? I can only tell you in so many ways that I have chosen you. That is not going to change anytime soon. I think you are stuck with me, my mouth and all.”

Steve gazed down at her, his eyes full of love. “I think you have a pretty gorgeous mouth,” he grinned as he nibbled on her lower lip, smiling as her lips sought his. When her lips parted, he ran his tongue over hers, pulling her closer till their tongues were warring. “I can never get enough of you.” He said as he kissed and nibbled his way across her cheek to her ear, nipping at the sensitive spot he knew so well. She moaned as he kissed his way down her neck, his breath tickling her.

She pulled his head back up so that she could look into his eyes. “You’re really good at distracting me but we haven’t finished our talk yet.”

“Alright.” He grinned and lifted her up, carrying her to the bed. He kicked off his shoes and leaned back against the headrest, seating her on his lap as he held her against him. “Let’s finish our talk. But I want to hold you at the same time. I still haven’t gotten over almost losing you again today and I need to feel you close to me. You have no idea how I felt when I couldn’t reach you over the comms. I didn’t dare think about losing you this time.” Steve shuddered as he buried his face in her hair.

Felicity held him close, imagining how terrified he had been. She had been equally scared herself when the lair had been invaded. All she had thought about was keeping herself safe. She knew he would get to her. She just had to hold on a little while longer. It had been all the more terrifying to see Bruce turn into the Hulk. He had been huge and so completely angry and she had been at a loss as to how they would be able to get away. It made her feel so much better knowing that even in that state, Bruce had tried to protect her. “I’m safe and I’m here with you. Let’s try not to think too much about that tonight,” she said as he held her.

“I’ll try but I still need to feel you, to know that you are fine.” Steve said as he stroked her hair, careful not to hurt the area that she had injured.

Felicity didn’t argue with that. She needed to feel as close to him as he did to her. But they had been talking about Oliver and so she brought up the subject again. “Steve, I want to know if you’re really worried about Oliver.”

“In a way I am. You both are very close friends and you’ve told me before that you had feelings for him. But then, you had no idea that he actually had feelings for you too. And I’m not blind. I’ve seen the way he looks at you. The way he looks at us together. He has not been exactly happy and even though I trust you, I don’t trust him.” Steve said honestly.

“Oliver has also chosen to be with anyone but me. That tells me something. That he doesn’t really want to be with me. If I was that important to him, he would fight to have me by his side, not choose someone else instead. But all of that doesn’t matter now. Because he no longer can say anything that will change my mind. You are the man I love. The one my heart belongs to.” Felicity said as she stroked his face.

“Felicity.” Steve whispered as he captured her lips again. He didn’t want to say anything, hoping to show her how he felt instead. He gently pulled her hair out of her ponytail, running his fingers through her hair as he lowered them both till they were lying on their pillows. Removing her glasses, he placed them on the bedside table, before running his fingers gently over her brows and down her cheek.

“Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?” he asked as he kissed her tenderly, his hand cupping her face.

“Oh, I think maybe I heard you whisper something like that a couple of times.” She teased him as she arched up into him.

It took him a while to rid them of their clothes. He spent the time patiently kissing any bare skin he revealed as he unzipped her dress and pulled it off her. Felicity in turn was very distracted by how Steve looked with his shirt unbuttoned, and had lovingly explored his chest and the planes of his stomach, especially the curve that dipped into his pants. When they finally lay together, skin against skin, he had pulled her leg up, his hand on her hip as he rubbed himself against her. She grabbed a condom and rolled it on him, before moving his hard length to where she lay wet and waiting. Rocking her hips up, he pushed in just a little before pulling back out, teasing her. She whimpered, wanting to feel all of him and thrust her hips towards him impatiently.

“Let me love you.” He whispered as he pulled out, rubbing himself against her nub before pushing back in gently. Today she had lived a nightmare and he wanted her to feel all the good sensations, to feel loved as he explored her. To him, it was about what she felt, what gave her pleasure. He continued like that for a while, driving her into a frenzy till she couldn’t take it anymore.

“Steve, I want all of you. Please.” She begged and that was all it took for him to bury himself into her. Starting to thrust, he moved above her, his eyes locked with hers. She smiled at him, reaching up to pull him closer before moaning, her head thrown back.

He angled her hips up a little, wanting her to feel more of him before taking her mouth again, his kisses relentless as he thrust faster. He could feel how wet she had become, her desire stirring something wild within him. She clutched at his back, one hand in his hair as she panted his name, trying to stifle her loud cries as he crashed into her. She was glorious when she came, her lips swollen from his kisses, her eyes glistening as she looked up at him, crying out his name. He surged forward, slamming himself into her as he felt his own pressure building. “Come for me baby,” she whispered gazing up at him and he finally let himself go, feeling himself pulse into her as he groaned her name, taking her lips to his.

They lay exhausted afterward in each other’s arms, unwilling to move.

“Do you think they heard us?” Felicity asked giggling.

“I’m sure they did. We’ll probably hear all about it tomorrow.” Steve chuckled.

Felicity nuzzled his face. “I’ll tell them that you’re just too delicious and I’m insatiable.”

“You better not. Tony might just take up what he thinks is a challenge.” Steve laughed.

Felicity giggled at the thought. “He wouldn’t dare try to touch you. Besides, I’m sure he and Pepper are equally loud.”

Steve gave a mock grimace. “I really do not want to try to imagine any of that.”

Felicity kissed him sweetly. “Well, no one can touch you. You’re mine!”

“I’m yours, am I now?” Steve asked, a huge smile on his face.

“Yes Steve. All mine. Just like I’m all yours.” Felicity kissed him softly before nestling herself against him.

It had been such a long really bad day, and what she really needed was to feel the comfort of his arms. She didn’t want to think about what the next day would bring, knowing there would be a huge mess to clear up. _I'll deal with everything tomorrow._ Instead she listened to his heart beating strongly beneath her and it lulled her to sleep knowing that for now, she was safe.

 

 

* * *

 

Notes: So for some of you who have been asking for more of Oliver, here he is. Although I’m sure this wasn’t exactly what you wanted. I did say that you would be getting his perspective of things as well as how Steve and Felicity react to it. More to come soon.

I’m also going to be away for work this whole week, so updates might be slower depending on whether I have internet access to be able to post. Cross your fingers.


	24. Please Don't Hate Me

Notes: I thought I would take a little break from the craziness and walk this chapter down a slightly different path. It still ended in craziness, just a different type, and the irony was that it was planned, it just came out a whole lot different than I expected. And I had fun playing around with the gifs. Hope you like them. Have fun reading!

* * *

 

 

 

  

“I Quit!” Felicity said as she stormed out of Oliver’s office. It had been a very tense few hours between them when Oliver had finally arrived at QC. He had been extremely cold towards her and she was having a lot of trouble dealing with what he had said the night before. It was obvious that he wasn’t about to continue the conversation, and when he had yelled at her for the third time about some figures that _he_ had gotten wrong, Felicity decided that she had had enough.

“Fine! Go quit then! It’s not the first time you threatened me with quitting! See how well I do without you here!” Oliver yelled back.

“One time! The one time I’ve told you that I was quitting was when you pulled me out of IT and dumped me here to be your Executive Assistant! Without my permission or knowledge! Whose fault was that really? Mine or yours?” Felicity was so mad, she wanted to punch him. _Violence is not becoming of a lady!_ She told herself as she clenched her fists by her side.

Digg continued watching them as he leaned against the wall. _Guess I’ve got to let these two kids fight it out._ He shook his head, resigned.

“I’ve told you repeatedly my reasons for doing that. I couldn’t travel down eighteen floors so that we could discuss what we do within the team. I needed you close to me, by my side.” Oliver heaved out, the veins in his forehead popping from anger.

“Well, you got that. Me close to you and by your side. Not that it made a difference. We still got work done.”

“I meant in every way, Felicity.” Oliver told her, his jaw clenched. He couldn’t believe that she would chose this time not to understand what he actually meant to say.

Felicity looked at him, determined. “Again. What I said.” Oh, she knew what he meant alright. But she wasn’t having any of it.

“Am I interrupting anything?” Natasha said.

Oliver and Felicity both swung their heads to look at her before Felicity decided that she had had enough. “Nope! I think we are done here. I’m taking my lunch break.” She grabbed her bag and walked off toward the elevators.

“I’ll join you.” Natasha said. She glared at Oliver and dumped a stack of files on his desk, before quickly walking toward where Felicity was waiting.

Digg pushed himself away from the wall, sending Oliver a very disappointed look.

“Don’t look at me like that.” Oliver said as he rubbed his head. He could feel the beginning of a very bad headache coming on.

“Then perhaps you can stop acting like a complete jerk.” Digg told him.

“She’s going to leave anyway. It was only a matter of time before she will officially resign. So why not now?” Oliver asked tiredly.

Digg sighed. “Because Oliver, even when she leaves for New York, she will still be there for us. She is still part of our team and still our friend. That will not have changed. What you are doing right now is damaging whatever friendship you have between the two of you. You can still have her in your life, just not in the way that you may actually want her to be. The question is, do you want her to be part of your life now that she is with someone else. Can you handle it?”

Oliver took a moment to really ask himself what he wanted. He had never truly given one hundred percent to any relationship, even after returning from the island. Perhaps he was being selfish, kidding himself that he was trying to protect the ones he loved. Maybe the real person he was trying to protect was himself, from the pain of loss. He knew he had been a complete ass to Felicity but he had not been able to help himself. But he knew he could do better. “I’ll talk to her when she gets back,” he said to Digg.

“Nicely.” Digg gave him a pointed look and Oliver nodded.

 

*

Natasha sat staring at Felicity who was angrily stuffing fries in her mouth. “You might want to slow down before you choke.” She said, her tone amused.

“Oh, I can choke someone alright. And it’s not me.” Felicity huffed. “Or you.” She said quickly, glancing at Natasha.

“I could help you choke him if you want. I have some pretty decent moves.” Natasha quirked her lips in a small smile.

“Yeah. I’ve noticed. That you’re pretty and you have the moves. When you fight.” Felicity smiled at Natasha, hoping that she wasn’t going to take it the wrong way.

She was relieved when Natasha laughed. “Oh God. You are just too funny. I think I’m going to like having you around in New York, Smoak.” Natasha smiled at her.

“Felicity. You need to start calling me Felicity. And oh my, I like your smile.” Felicity grinned back.

“Alright. Felicity. Tell me what the problem is with Oliver Queen.” Natasha asked, a little more serious.

Felicity wasn’t completely sure what to tell Natasha. “He suddenly decided to tell me that he feels more than friendship for me. I’m not sure what he expects me to say to that. I think he’s having problems with me being with Steve and me leaving the team. That on top of everything else that has happened to him within the last month.”

Natasha nodded. “I’m assuming Steve knows about this?” When Felicity nodded, Nat continued. “Will you have any regrets when you leave? You’ve lived here for so long and have made some good friends. You’ve fought alongside your team and supported each other through a lot. It will be hard to leave this all behind.”

“No. I won’t have any regrets. I love Steve and I want to be with him. I will miss my team here but I also have a new team to look forward to, new relationships to build. Is that how you’ve felt before? When you had to switch teams?” Felicity asked, curious.

Natasha frowned a little at the question. “I don’t think I’ve ever thought about it. I usually work alone. I was an assassin and didn’t usually work in a team, with the exception of Barton. Even within S.H.I.E.L.D., we were always assigned separate missions even though we were together. Working with the Avengers is really the first time that I’ve worked on a true team. It’s the first time that I’ve allowed myself to care.”

Felicity smiled with understanding. “Trusting someone to have your back is never easy. Allowing yourself to care for others is even harder. Is that why you are here having lunch with me? Because you are worried that I will chose Oliver over Steve?”

Natasha took a long time to answer. “Steve is a friend. He asked me once, to be his friend. It’s new to me. I’ve never really had people around long enough for them to be a friend. So yes, I want to look out for him and make sure he doesn’t get hurt. But I think I also trust you. And maybe someday, we can also call ourselves friends.”

Felicity wanted to give Natasha a hug right there, but she knew that Natasha wasn’t ready for that kind of display of affection yet. “Nat. I’m going to call you Nat from now on. You don’t have to worry because I already consider you a friend. Now, I’ll just have to wait till you’re ready to feel the same way,” she said as she smiled at her.

 

*

Oliver didn’t apologise to Felicity straight away when she returned from lunch. In fact, he left it right till the end of the day. He had watched her from his desk, her back turned to him as she ignored him the entire afternoon. Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore and he approached her where she sat working. “Felicity,” he said softly. “I’m sorry.”

Felicity turned her chair slowly so she could look at him. “What exactly are you apologizing for Oliver?”

“For yelling at you. For what I said about Roy and your dedication to our team. And for not telling you how I felt earlier.” Oliver said, his voice sad.

“Oliver.” Felicity started to say but Oliver stopped her.

“Please, let me finish otherwise I will never get this out. I’m beginning to realize how important you are to me, at QC, on Team Arrow,” Oliver grimaced a little at the name, “and to me in my life. You are not just my employee, or my friend. You are my partner. I’m not sure how I am going to do this all without you. Then thought of you leaving, that you won’t be here. It’s just wrong.”

Felicity stared at Oliver. “You are my best friend. And I will always be here for you, even when I’m not actually here with you.” She winced a little at that before trying again. “You won’t be alone, Oliver. You have Digg and you can try to convince Sara to come back. And when we find Roy and cure him, you can train him to be on your team too. There are so many of us who believe in you. I believe in you. And I want you to be happy. I’m not sure what it will take for you to be happy, but I know someday you will get there. And I hope that you will still have me in your life to see it happen. As your friend.”

Oliver wasn’t about to give up. “Felicity, I meant what I said when I told you how I felt about you.”

“And she meant what she said when she only thinks of you as her friend.” Steve said from the doorway.

Felicity whirled around, surprised to see him there. Oliver gritted his teeth at the interruption and glared at Steve.

“Hi.” Felicity managed to squeak out, going over to give him a quick kiss.

Steve smiled down at her before shooting Oliver a look. “Did you have anything else you wanted to say to her?” Steve asked him.

“Not right now.” Oliver shot back before storming off to his office.

Felicity sighed and turned to Steve, fingering his shirt collar. “What are you doing here, handsome?”

“I thought I’d come pick you up personally. I missed you today and wanted to spend some time with you. Guess I didn’t have the best timing seeing what I walked in on.” Steve said.

“There can never be a wrong time for you to show up Steve.” Felicity smiled at him. Looking over at Oliver who was studiously ignoring them, she sighed. “Let’s go home. Oliver and I will not be talking about this anymore today.”

 

*

On the drive back to the penthouse, Steve had filled her in on what everyone had been working on that day. Tony had managed to pull together a new station. It was very small and not perfect but it would have to do. But it would allow two people to work on it at a time which was essential to provide backup when everyone was out on the field. Felicity was relieved that she could still work side by side with Maria.

Bruce had a small set-up for himself over on a makeshift table. He had a new laptop and they managed to retrieve the files he had been working on with Jarvis’s help. He was now back at work trying to figure out how to measure and strengthen the anti-serum.

Clint and Sam had spent the day trying to track down Roy. The bad news was that it seemed that Roy had been abducted. When they had dug through the wreckage that used to be the lair, they had found traces of Roy’s blood. They didn’t think that Roy had been injured by the Hulk, so the only explanation for him being injured and missing was that Deathstroke had him.

Thor and Steve had gone back to the warehouse and had found that the machine had disappeared. The bodies of the prisoners who had not survived were still there everything else had been taken. Steve and Thor had searched the entire building and the surrounding area, but they hadn’t been able to come up with anything they could use to find Deathstroke.

They were back to square one and very frustrated.

When they arrived home, they were greeted by the smell of food. Takeout Chinese to be exact.

Felicity’s stomach growled and Steve laughed. “You are always hungry. It’ll take an army to feed you and Thor both.”

“I am not always hungry. It’s just been a long stressful day and I’ve burned up a lot of calories from the stress. I stress eat. It’s a curse.” Felicity pouted.

“Well, I can attest to the stress eating, the way you were attacking your fries today.” Natasha said with a smile as she walked in with Pepper.

Felicity glared at her. “I was not attacking them. I was enjoying them. Three at a time.”

“Perhaps you are with child. An expectant mother always craves food. I have been told by the healers that it starts early.” Thor chimed in, trying to be helpful.

Felicity turned slowly to look at Thor. “I am not pregnant. Steve and I have been very careful about that. We’ve always…” She stopped suddenly, her eyes going wide.

Steve looked at her with a worried expression on his face. “What’s wrong?”

“Can I talk to you for a minute?” Felicity said, gesturing to their room.

“Okay.” Steve was really getting worried now. He followed her up to their bedroom and waited for her to compose herself. “Felicity, what’s wrong?”

“Steve, do you remember the night we first got attacked by Slade?” Felicity asked him.

Steve nodded. “I don’t think I’m going to be able to forget that night for a long time. I almost lost you. It still scares me to think about it.”

“You and I have always tried to be careful with using protection but that night, I think we both didn’t.” Felicity said softly.

Steve looked at her wide eyed. “Are you telling me that you think you’re pregnant?”

“No. I’m not sure. It’s too soon. Well I might know soon as my monthly time is due.” She paused when she saw that Steve looked a bit uncomfortable. “You are kidding me right? You are going to have to get used to talking about a woman’s time of the month a lot from now on buddy.”

“I’ll get used to it.” Steve managed to squeeze out, his cheeks slightly pink.

Felicity smiled with amusement before continuing. “I won’t know as it’s too soon to tell or test anything. But there could be the chance that I am. If I am, then…” she trailed off, not knowing what more to say.

Steve hugged her to him. “Sweetheart, if you are pregnant, then I will be the happiest man alive. And you will be a wonderful mother. And I will be honoured for us to become a family. How could I not want that with you? I love you. It’s all that I could want for us.”

Felicity looked up at him. “But I don’t want you to marry me just because of a baby. It’s too soon. I’m not ready for us to have a child. The both of us being together is still so new. I want us to grow a little more as a couple before we even consider taking that big a step.”

Steve was a little hurt. “What are you trying to say? I thought we were committed to each other.”

Felicity pulled him over to the bed so they could sit down. Taking his face in her hands, she told him gently. “Steve, I am committed to you. More so than I’ve ever been to anyone else. And I love you. I’m moving to New York to be with you, which means that I believe in us long term, probably forever. But I’m also scared. The people in my life have always left me. My father abandoned my mother and me, leaving us alone. My mother was never around for me because she was always working. Although I don’t doubt that you would never leave me, I want us to make choices based on free will and not because we had no choice. I don’t want to be anything like my parents. Please don’t hate me for thinking this way.” Felicity stopped, almost in tears.

Steve sighed and pulled her to him. “I love you. I can never hate you. And I think I understand where you are coming from. I’m sorry I sounded like I doubted your commitment to us. I don’t. I guess I’m still old-fashioned when I think of commitment. When I think of us moving in together, living together, it is a path to forever for us. It’s a choice I made a long time ago when I first started being with you. Perhaps in these times, it’s a little different, but for me, I was sure a while ago. I want you to know that you are it for me. It doesn’t matter to me that we’ve been together for this short a time. So if you are with my child, it will only make what we have more perfect. Felicity, I will never leave you willingly. I promise you that. And if I have to, I’ll repeat this to you every single day till you are sure of what I’m saying.”

Felicity sat there stunned. Never in a million years had she ever dreamed of someone saying something so beautiful to her. Tears ran down her face as she looked at him and for once she was speechless. “Steve Rogers. I love you so very much. There is nothing that I could say that could even express how much. And what you just said means the world to me. I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve you. I don’t understand why I have no words to tell you all that I feel since you know how much I babble.”

“Shhh. You don’t have to tell me. I already know.” And he did. He could see it written all over her face. He cupped her face as he kissed her, wiping her tears with his thumbs, knowing she was happy. Smoothing her hair away from her face, he told her, “Let’s just wait and see what happens. With us, there is no rush. Everything will happen as it’s supposed to.”

Felicity nodded. “I’m sorry I got so scared. I don’t even know why I’m bringing up me possibly being pregnant to you. I mean it was just the one time we weren’t careful. I have no idea why I’m freaking out this way.”

“Sweetheart, I understand. I get scared too. All the time actually. And you’ve been through a lot the last few days. Maybe it’s good that you’re freaking out. Remember, I asked you to always be honest with me about what you are thinking. There is nothing wrong with talking about our future together. You and I grew up in different times, so we are bound to have a difference in opinion on certain things.” Steve smiled as he held her.

“I believe in us though. We are kind of awesome together.” Felicity turned her face into his neck, kissing him gently.

“Agreed. But you know what would be even more awesome?” Steve asked with a laugh.

“What would that be?” Felicity looked up at him, her eyes sparkling.

“Getting some food in that stomach of yours. I can still hear it growling at me.” Steve chuckled as he pulled her toward the door.

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Thor was there waiting for them worried. “Felicity. I have upset you. That was not my wish. I am truly sorry.” He said, his eyes concerned.

Felicity patted his arm, smiling up at him. “No Thor. I want to thank you. Because of you, Steve and I now have a lot more to look forward to.”

Thor smiled with relief and looked at her knowingly as Steve tugged her toward the dining table. He was happy for them and he hoped that someday, he would be able to find the same kind of happiness with Jane by his side. To be with the woman he loved.


	25. What Do We Do Now?

 

“I want you back in New York.” Tony said stubbornly.

“My work here isn’t done yet. I need a few more days.” Pepper said frustrated.

Tony refused to back down. “I don’t care. It’s not safe here for you anymore. You can do whatever you need to from New York. You are leaving today.”

Pepper sighed. She knew that she couldn’t argue with Tony when he was this way. When he was in protective mode, he would never listen. “Fine. But at least give me time to go through things with Oliver and Felicity. We’ve already set some things up and I want to make sure they can run it themselves.”

Tony hugged her to him. “I just want you safe. It’s gotten out of hand here. You’ll be safe at the Tower and Happy will be there to help you.” Pepper kissed him and nodded before going in search of Felicity.

An hour later, she was sitting down opposite Oliver, filling him in on all the changes they had made. There had been quite a few changes in each of the divisions and Pepper had brought over some extra staff to help oversee them. Staff that she trusted. They would report directly to Oliver, but would manage everything so that he would not be bogged down with the details. And now that Isabel was no longer part of QC, hopefully things would be back on track and the value of shares would go up as the company became more stable. She assured him that she would still be managing things from New York. They would just have to have more video conferences, she said laughingly.

Oliver quietly listened to everything that Pepper had to say and hoped that he would remember most of it. In the past, Felicity had been his go to person when he had trouble understanding what to do. Now that she was leaving, he would need to find someone to help him. What made it worse was the quiet tension that still remained between the two of them. He glanced over at her, but she was focused on Pepper and jotting down what he guessed was notes for him.

He noticed Natasha staring at him and returned the look, refusing to be fazed by her. She smirked at him before turning her attention back to Pepper. What is with that woman? He huffed. But he was still grateful to her, knowing that she was looking out for Felicity when she was at QC.

 

*

Bruce wasn’t convinced that the anti-serum would work all that well, but for the moment, this was all they had and they needed to use it, even if it was still untested. They now had to find a way to deploy the anti-serum and Clint was the one who came up with a solution.

“We can use self-ejecting darts. I’ve used them before attached to my arrows and with a crossbow. They use a pressurized system so we can explore converting some of the weapons we use to carry the serum. They just need to be in the form of a projectile.” Clint explained.

Tony nodded. “We can do that. Everyone show me your weapon stash and your guns. If it’s in projectile form, we can use some form of bullet. Just don’t shoot to kill.”

When Natasha dumped her specialized weapons on the table, Tony raised his brows. “Small and deadly just like you. Have you rigged these to explode on me?” he asked, fingering her disc charges.

“Not if you treat them with tender loving care.” Natasha smiled up at him.

“What is it with all you women and your little innuendos?” Tony asked cheekily.

“Tony, I have Pepper’s back. And I promised her that if you misbehave while she is gone, you would be oh so sorry.” Natasha looked at him coolly before joining Clint and Oliver. They were both discussing hollow tipped arrows and Thor was looking on with some amusement when Natasha joined them. “It would seem that they have put their competitiveness aside. It is strange to see them speaking to each other. ” He told Natasha.

“We aren’t in a competition.” Oliver said, irritated.

“Sure you aren’t. So is that why you are discussing whose arrow will fly further and with more accuracy? You guys have your arrows laid out all over the table. Don’t think I don’t know what you are doing. I can lip read.” She snorted when Clint looked away, trying to hide his mild embarrassment. “It doesn’t matter. Just get back to work. We need these and fast.”

She looked at Steve. “You need a gun, even if it’s just for the special bullets. I have brought extra Glocks and you can borrow one.”

Steve shook his head. “I just need my shield.”

“Even the Winter Soldier carried weapons, Steve. You never know. You might change your mind.” Natasha told him.

 

*

It was mid-afternoon when Oliver received a call from Thea. He was back at QC, making sure he understood all the changes Pepper had put in place. Felicity was with him, and they had called an unspoken truce as they worked. The atmosphere was no longer as tense although a little awkward and Oliver had tried very hard to make things better between them. She was sitting opposite him discussing the notes she had taken in the morning when his phone rang.

“Thea? What’s wrong? Why are you crying?” Oliver asked worriedly.

“Oliver.” Thea sobbed. “It’s Roy.”

“What about Roy? Did you see him?” Oliver asked as Felicity looked up, her eyes wide.

“That man we met the other night. Slade Wilson. He had Roy with him when he came to the house. Roy didn’t seem to recognise me and he stabbed him, Oliver. He stabbed him right in front of me. I think he’s dead. Oh God! I think he’s dead. Please Oliver. You need to come here.” Thea was in despair and Oliver was panicked.

“Thea, I want you to stay right there and wait for me. Do not go anywhere. I will come for you. Promise me!” Oliver was desperate as he stood, running for the elevators. Felicity ran after him, calling for Digg.

They drove as fast as they could to the mansion, finding the guards at the gates unconscious but alive.

“Thea!” Oliver yelled as he ran into the house, searching desperately for her. He found her in the kitchen, huddled in the corner with Raisa. “Oh my God. Are you hurt?” Oliver gasped as he pulled Thea into a hug, trying to soothe her as she sobbed.

“He was still here. I thought he had gone when I called you.” Thea managed to say, terrified.

“Who was still here?” Oliver asked, signalling for Digg to go check.

Thea’s face streamed with tears. “Slade Wilson. He took Roy’s body with him and left. He killed him right in front of me.”

“It’s alright. Shh… you’re going to be fine. You’re okay.” Oliver rocked his sister gently in his arms as he tried to comfort her.

“Oliver, we need to get them out of here. Slade might come back.” Felicity said, her heart hurting for Thea and Roy.

“He won’t come back here. If he wanted to hurt them, he would have. He’s sending me a message.” Oliver spat out. Digg returned and shook his head, telling Oliver that he couldn’t find anything. “Digg, take Thea and Raisa to a safe place. Find somewhere for them. I’ll get Felicity back.” When Digg looked like he wanted to argue, Oliver told him. “I need them safe Digg. Please.”

He watched Digg leave with them before turning back to Felicity. “He’s attacking the people that are important to me. I don’t know where he’s going to head next. Maybe Laurel’s. I need to go there to make sure but we need to get you back first.”

“Oliver. You need to go to her. I’ll stay here and wait for Steve. I’ve called him. He’s on his way.” Felicity told him bravely.

“No. I’m not leaving you here alone. I’ll wait with you till he gets here then.” Oliver was insistent.

“Oliver. You love Laurel. You always have. You need to get to her before Slade hurts her like he did Roy. Please. I wouldn’t be able to handle it if anything happened to her because you were here with me.” Felicity’s eyes filled with tears thinking about Roy.

“Felicity. That’s where you are wrong. The person I love is you. I’ve tried to tell you that, but you haven’t been listening. I love you.” Oliver said desperately as he moved closer to cup her face. “Do you understand?”

Felicity looked up at him and nodded. “Yes. But you still need to go. I’ll be fine here. Steve will be here soon.”

“I’m already here.” Steve said, his tone angry as he stood in the doorway to the room. He looked at Oliver without saying anything, his face hard.

Oliver nodded at him, knowing that Steve had heard what he had said. “I need to go.” He walked out quickly, passing Sam and Thor as he went.

“Steve?” Felicity said quietly, placing her hand on his arm.

Steve turned to her. “Are you okay?” When Felicity nodded, he told her. “Let’s get back so you can tell us what happened.” When Felicity opened her mouth to say something more, he shook his head at her and said. “It’s okay. We’ll talk about this later.”

 

*

“What is it with the disappearing bodies?” Tony asked angrily after hearing what Felicity had to say.

“Was Thea sure that Roy was dead?” Clint asked.

Felicity didn’t know and she told them so. “She was in shock. I’m not sure.”

“Deathstroke is making his move. But where and how? What are we up against here?” Steve was frustrated.

“We need to plan this better. What’s to say he won’t attack us again? The penthouse doesn’t have the greatest defences. It’s not the Avengers Tower.” Tony was thinking.

“Yes, but we also need some of us out there. Sam and I can stay here with Felicity and Maria. We’re the best options for getting everyone out if we need to.” Natasha was confident she had an escape plan.

Steve wasn’t as confident though and he was torn between wanting to stay to protect Felicity and knowing that his team needed him out there with them.

Natasha could tell what Steve was thinking. “I’ll look after her. Trust me.” She told him and Steve nodded reluctantly.

He pulled Felicity aside a little later. “I don’t feel good about leaving you here if I have to go out there,” he told her, worried about what might happen again.

“Steve. I will be fine. Natasha, Sam and Maria are here. We’ve changed the configuration of the comms so that we won’t the same problem as the last time. We will be able to contact you if we are in trouble. And we’ve run over escape plans should they manage to get up here. We’re as prepared as we can be.” Felicity tried to assure him. They both knew however that the plans were not failsafe and that the penthouse could still be easily breached.

“I still don’t like it. If anything should happen to you, I don’t know what I will do.” Steve said, his voice slightly hoarse.

“Steve, your team needs you out there with them. You need to worry about them and yourself. Watch your own backs. You cannot be distracted worrying about what is happening with me. You promised me that you would always fight your way back to me. And I will do the same. You are not going to lose me.” She kissed him gently. He pulled her to him and closed his eyes as he held her, afraid.

Oliver walked in just then, his face grim. “Laurel is gone. I think she has been taken as there were signs of a struggle.”

“No.” Felicity cried out, afraid for Laurel and what may have become of her. “Have you managed to find Sara?”

Oliver shook his head. “I haven’t been able to reach her for days. I’m not sure if she is even in the city.”

“We’ll keep looking.” Felicity said, sitting down at the station. “There must be something we can find.”

Steve looked over at Oliver who refused to turn and look his way. He knew that they needed to talk but now was not the time. He had to focus on what he was sure was about to happen. Walking up to Oliver, his voice was hard. “When this is done, you and I need to talk.”

Oliver nodded and walked away to where Clint was preparing his equipment.

 

*

Tony was not a man who could sit and wait. He paced up and down the living room of the penthouse driving everyone around him insane.

“You need to sit down.” Thor told him. “I cannot take your pacing any longer.”

“Why aren’t they making a move?” Tony looked around him wildly, looking for anything to take his mind off waiting.

“They may not make their move tonight.” Steve told him calmly.

“Have we got anything on screens yet?” Tony asked Felicity and Maria impatiently.

“Nope!” Felicity said with a pop. “If there was anything, you would hear the alerts beeping. All is quiet.”

“I bet Deathstroke knows he’ll drive us all crazy with the wait.” Natasha said.

“We can’t let our guard down though. Do we have everything ready to go?” Steve asked.

“Yes. Including Bruce’s change of clothes.” Clint answered.

“You’re letting the Hulk loose on Starling City?” Oliver asked, his voice angry.

Bruce was tired. He had been working on trying to get enough of the anti-serum ready for them in case of an attack. “Yes. They seem to think that the Hulk will work with them against Deathstroke’s army. We need his strength to take them out.”

“And risk destroying the city at the same time.” Oliver asked shocked.

Tony sounded exasperated. “I’m not sure if you’ve noticed but we haven’t had much success with these crazies. Hulk and Thor have managed to keep them down and subdued. We need them out there. Especially since we know that he might have added a lot more of them to his army.”

“It is not our intention to do damage to this city. We will protect it as much as we can.” Thor gave Oliver a look, seeming to ask him to settle down.

They didn’t have long more to wait as alerts started going off continuously.

Felicity pulled the information up on the screens. “Crazies attacking. But it’s random and all over the city.” Pulling up a map with coordinates, she called out to Jarvis. “Jarvis, you need to track and indicate the places being attacked and send everyone the locations.”

“Yes Ms Smoak. Jarvis replied and soon flashing dots were on the screens.

Everyone was already suited up except Tony, who was headed for the roof. They grabbed their weapons to leave.

Steve kissed Felicity hard. “Be safe.” He told her.

“You too. I love you.” Felicity said, her message to him clear.

“I love you too.” He gave her a quick smile before leaving.

 

*

“Raven, I’m headed to Fifth and Maple. That’s the closest. Heard there’s a whole hoard of them there.” Hawkeye called out over the comms.

“Who’s your backup?” Raven asked.

“Cap and Hulk” Hawkeye said.

“Roger that. Let me know if you need more.” Raven said as she checked the location on the screens. “Jarvis, please track them.” she told him.

“Yes, Ms Hill.” Jarvis’s response was immediate.

“Ironman, have you reached your location yet?” Meta asked.

“Yes. Will you just look at the mayhem down there? Not sure this is my kind of party.” Ironman looking down at the street below.

Meta looked at the picture on the screen horrified. There were dead civilians on the ground and the crazies were attacking others. People were running away screaming. Widow and Falcon’s faces were grim as they watched from behind her.

Thor flew down and swung Mjolnir into one soldier who was holding onto a civilian before letting the hammer loose onto two more, bringing them down.

Ironman who had Oliver with him, flew him to the ground before setting off after another soldier who was trying to get to a man who had hidden in a car. “Oh no, you don’t. You need to find another ride,” he said as he lifted the soldier up into the air, dropping him down from thirty feet up and then pummelling him in the face.

Arrows with the anti-serum attached went flying and each soldier who was stuck with one was taken down fast, out for the count. “The anti-serum seems to be working.” Arrow said. “They are staying down.”

“But for how long?” Hawkeye asked as he watched the Hulk slam two soldiers together. “Nat. Hulk looks like he’s having a ton of fun.”

The Black Widow shook her head, amused. “Meta, are the police going in to round up the crazies who are down?”

Meta nodded.” Yup. Locations have been given. They are on their way although I don’t know if their holding cells are going to be strong enough to hold these guys.”

“They need to be sedated. Just in case.” Widow said. Raven answered. “I’ve already informed them. Captain, how’s it going on your end?”

“Well, Hulk here seems to have done a lot of the work for us. We’re heading to another location right now. Anywhere special we ought to be?”

“How about right here with me?” Meta answered, laughing.

“Hey. No sweet talking over the comms. You’ll make my ears bleed.” Ironman grunted as he tried to throw a crazy off him.

“Sorry, it just slipped out.” Meta laughed.

“Isn’t that my line?” Cap said, a smile in his voice.

“Can we please focus here?” Arrow growled out. Another grunt as he sent kicked out at a soldier coming at him.

“Guys. Train station is being attacked. Civilians are trapped there. Can someone get there?” Meta said, sending the coordinates and not responding to Arrow’s jab.

“We’re close enough. On our way.” Hawkeye said.

“Where’s Digg?” Widow asked Meta, taking them off comms for a moment.

“He got called in by the Squad. He felt he needed to go because of Lyla.” Meta answered.

“That’s fine. He should do what he must but they don’t have the anti-serum. I’m not sure how far they can get without out.” Widow said with a frown.

Falcon spoke up. “I think for him, it’s about doing all that he can, regardless. They’ll find another….”

They felt an explosion before the door and the surrounding wall were blown in. “You didn’t think you could get rid of me that easily, did you?”

“Rochev. What will it take for you to just die?” the Black Widow said coolly.

“A lot more that you might think.” Rochev said before running and slamming into her.

Widow rolled on the ground and spun up, taking a running kick at Isabel’s chest. But Isabel caught her feet and threw the Widow onto the table. The Widow rolled across it and tried to leap over a chair, ducking at the last minute from a punch Isabel threw at her.

Meantime, Falcon couldn’t maneuver much with his wings. The space in the penthouse was hindering spreading his suit to his full wingspan and he had to resort to using guns with the hollow tip bullets filled with the anti-serum. There were too many soldiers though and he found himself overwhelmed. He looked over at Meta and Raven, who were trying to fend off some crazies themselves.

Raven was a good shot but Meta didn’t have the luxury of specialized training. She whirled around, frantically looking for the Black Widow, wanting to see if she could get to her. As she heard Cap calling out for her over the comms, she couldn’t answer. She watched in horror as Isabel’s crashed her hand through the penthouse window smashing it.

Grabbing the Black Widow by the throat, she held her outside the window so that her feet were dangling. The Widow struggled desperately to get out of her hold, gasping for air.

“Goodbye.” Isabel said with a smile as she let go.

“Natasha!” Meta screamed as she watched the Black Widow disappear from sight.

 

 


	26. Have I Lost You?

 

_Meta watched in horror as Isabel’s crashed her hand through the penthouse window smashing it. Grabbing the Black Widow by the throat, she held her outside the window so that her feet were dangling. The Widow struggled desperately to get out of her hold, gasping for air. “Goodbye.” Isabel said with a smile as she let go. “Natasha!” Meta screamed as she watched the Black Widow disappear from sight._

 

***

Falcon dived out the window after the Black Widow, hoping to catch her as she fell. He was relieved to find her swinging from her grappling hook three floors below.

“Man, you have nine lives. You sure you’re not a cat?” Falcon asked as he grabbed a hold of her.

“Nope. Guess it’s just not my time,” she told him as he flew the back into the penthouse.

They found the penthouse empty with Raven, unconscious on the floor but breathing. Meta was gone.

 

*

Digg was on the ground, running beside Deadshot as they tried to get to a building a short distance in front of them. Waller had sent the Suicide Squad out with orders to shoot to kill, not caring if the soldiers lived or died. She didn’t care about the anti-serum, especially since it hadn’t been properly tested and no one knew how long Deathstroke’s soldiers would be out for.

“We’re not going to make it.” Deadshot panted as he whirled around and shot dead a soldier right between his eyes. He aimed his gun towards two more soldiers, firing at them, but they got up slowly and advanced on him.

“Yes we are!” Digg yelled at him, pulling him along.

“You need to get to Lyla. I’ll cover you. Don’t worry about me. It doesn’t matter if I die. I’m ready.” Deadshot gasped out as he ducked under an arm that swung out at him. Ramming his gun into the soldier’s chest, he pulled the trigger.

“Reload!” Digg said as he charged the soldier bearing down on Deadshot, throwing himself to the right at the last minute and shooting the soldier as he fell and rolled.

Deadshot had reloaded a new magazine. Standing with feet planted, he yelled at Digg to get out of the way as he shot at soldiers running toward them. “You need to go now. Get out of here.”

Digg wasn’t having any of it. “Listen to me, you piece of shit! You need to live for your daughter. If you feel anything like me about your child, then live for your daughter! Now get your ass moving! We’ll get to that building if it’s the last thing we do.”

 

*

“Where is she?” Steve yelled into the comms. He was frantic.

“Hold on Cap. We’re tracking her now.” the Black Widow said.

“Natasha. Please. You have to find her.” Cap was almost at breaking point.

“Hold up.” Arrow said as he hit his comm, letting everyone hear.

“Hallo Kid.” Slade’s voice came over the comms.

“Give it up Slade. Your army is broken. It’s over.” Arrow growled.

“A pity. But once again. You’ve missed the point.” Slade said, his voice mocking.

“I’m not playing your games. We’re done.” Arrow spat out.

“You done when I say you’re done. I have the one you love. You are going to meet me, where I say otherwise I’m going to kill her.” Slade threatened. “I was surprised. I thought you had a thing for stronger women. But now that I’ve met her. I can see the appeal. She is quite lovely, Your Felicity.”

Steve almost lost it, but he kept quiet, knowing he needed to let Arrow find out where she was.

“I’ll be there.” Arrow bit out after Slade gave him the location.

“Nat, tell me you’re close. You need to get to her.” Cap was running full tilt toward the location that had been given.

“Soon.” Widow gasped out over the comms.

 

*

Oliver tried to creep silently among the machinery and pipes, his bow and arrow at the ready. He could hear Slade talking, mocking and threatening him and he tried to ignore what he was saying, needing to focus.

He rounded a corner to see Slade with his sword against Felicity’s neck. Isabel was standing next to him, a knife pressed against Sara’s neck. He glanced at Laurel weeping by the side, held in place by one of Slade’s soldiers.

“Drop the bow, kid.” Slade growled at him.

Oliver moved slowly, placing his bow on the ground as he carefully watching Slade.

“I’ve spent countless nights dreaming of taking from you, all that you took from me.” Slade said, his face wracked with pain. He pushed Felicity and she fell to her knees in front of him.

“By killing the woman I love?” Arrow asked, trying to be calm.

“Oliver?” Laurel said, her voice shocked when she heard his voice from under the hood.

Oliver spared her a glance before refocusing on Slade. “I knew Shado and she would not have wanted you to do this. To do all that you have done, in her name.”

“What I have done is what you have lacked the courage to do. To fight for!” Slade was becoming more agitated and he grabbed Felicity again, pulling her up and bringing the sword to her neck.

Felicity looked up at the Oliver, her eyes fearful as he continued. “You want revenge? And now I know what it feels to see my enemy so distracted, he doesn’t see the real danger that is right in front of him.” Oliver glanced at Sara, catching her eye.

Slade frowned confused before whirling around when disc charges exploded in front of the soldier, causing him to let go of Laurel.

Natasha used her Widow Bite energy blasts, sending 30,000 bolts into Slade’s back causing him to lower his sword temporarily. Felicity ducked under his arm, whirling around with bent knee before coming up and plunging a syringe in his neck. He knocked her to the ground and Oliver sprinted over to shooting an arrow with anti-serum into him.

With a screech, Isabel tried to get to Slade and Sara seeing an opportunity, kicked back into Isabel’s knee, hoping to bring her down. But Isabel was much stronger now and she flung Sara back, plunging a knife in her arm before kicking her in the ribs.

As Sara collapsed on the floor in pain, Isabel swung around and grabbed Felicity, holding her in front of her like a human shield. “Just try shooting one of those arrows in me Oliver, and I’ll break her neck right in front of you,” she threatened.

“Isabel, it’s over. You need to give this up.” Oliver told her, his eyes never leaving hers.

“Why? So you can live happily with the one you love? No Oliver. I told you I would make you pay for your sins and that of your father.” Isabel sneered at him before raising the knife again.

Her hand was suddenly held immobile and she turned to see Steve behind her. He plunged one of Oliver’s arrows in her arm, trying to get the anti-serum within her. She kicked out and rolled to the ground, feigning injury. Pulling out a gun, she aimed it at Felicity but Steve was too fast and leapt in front of Felicity, the bullet bouncing off his shield. Before he could do anything else, Natasha shot Isabel in the head twice. “Now I know the secret to getting you to stay dead.” Nat said as checked her pulse, wanting to be sure.

Oliver didn’t hesitate, shooting an arrow into the last soldier who was standing over Laurel who was on her knees sobbing. He looked around for Slade, knowing that the serum would not keep him down for long. “Slade’s gone,” Oliver said, running down an open passageway, only to find it empty.

Felicity threw her arms around Steve and he held her desperately to him knowing this time he had come close to losing her. They didn’t say anything as they stood still, just holding on to each other.

Oliver returned and went quickly to Sara’s side. She was conscious but in pain. “We have to get you to a hospital.” he told her as he gently lifted her in arms. She was in too much pain to argue.

“I’m coming with you both.” Laurel said as quickly went to her sister’s side. She eyed Oliver but didn’t say anything more. Oliver sighed, knowing that they would need to talk about her knowing he was the Arrow. And it would be soon.

“I’ll meet you all back at base.” he told Steve as he left with Sara.

Felicity watched him leave with the two sisters. “Guess he needs to get changed first.” she said as she stifled a giggle.

Steve looked at her, surprised. “How is this funny? You almost got killed today, Felicity.”

“I know. And thank goodness I’m fine. The plan worked, Nat.” Felicity said, smiling at Natasha.

“What plan?” Steve asked angrily.

“We knew that Deathstroke had information on us somehow. I found hidden cameras at QC, probably placed there by Rochev. And Oliver found more at the mansion. Since Deathstroke had already told us that he had targeted Felicity, we needed him to go after her. We had the anti-serum and needed to take the risk. I made sure she had a hidden tracker on her, so that I could find her fast. And I had already trained her some defensive moves with the use of weaponry, so that she could use the opportunity when it came. Oliver and I knew that one of us would be able to get to her.”

Steve’s face was contorted in anger. “And you didn’t think to let me know any of this?”

“You would never have let me do it. It was the only plan that we had to get to Slade.” Felicity said, her hand reaching out to him.

“No Felicity.” Steve backed away from her. “We could have come up with another plan. I would never ever have allowed you to put yourself in danger like this.” His voice had gone cold from fury.

“Steve. She would have been safe. We would have seen to it.” Natasha tried to reason with him.

“There was no way that you could have known that and you know it. I can’t believe you both would do something like this. Oliver too.” Steve said, his expression hurt. Turning to Felicity, he said sadly. “You promised me that you would always tell me what you were doing and never willing put yourself in harm’s way. You broke your promise to me today.”

Felicity tried to get Steve to understand. “I had to do this. You and everyone else I love were in danger. I needed to do something. If this was the way to do it, then I at least had to try.”

“Then what about me, Felicity? Have you ever thought about how I would feel if I lost you to this? If Oliver and Natasha’s plan had not worked? I would have thought that you would have placed more trust in me.” Steve voice was pained, his face hard as he looked at her.

“I’m so sorry Steve. I really am.” Felicity watched him worriedly. She had never seen him this way before.

“So am I.” Steve said sadly before turning and walking away. He didn’t turn around when he heard Felicity call out for him to stop. Instead he took off running, needing to be alone for a while.

 

*

“You wanted to talk?” Oliver asked from behind Steve.

“Why? Why would you put her in danger like that?” Steve asked angrily as he turned around to look at Oliver.

“It was the only good plan that we had.” Oliver was abrupt.

Steve clenched his fists by his side. “She could have died. We could have lost her.”

Oliver closed his eyes, pain on his face. “She knew that the plan was not foolproof. But this is Felicity. She will always insist on being part of the team and if I hadn’t let her join us, she would have done something else that could have placed her in more danger. This way, I could try to protect her.”

“So everything you’ve said to her over the last few days was just part of your plan?” Steve asked with narrowed eyes.

Oliver looked at Steve, unsure whether he wanted to be honest with him. “No. Whatever I said was true.”

“Why now? Why say these things to her now when you had so many opportunities before?” Steve asked angrily as he didn’t understand.

“Because I didn’t know if we would survive this. I wanted her to know how I felt.” He looked at Steve but he wasn’t sorry.

“You love her?” Steve asked.

“Yes.” Oliver stared back at Steve, his gaze unwavering.

Steve clenched his jaw wanting to punch Oliver but he held onto his self control. “I’m not letting her go. She’s my girl and I’ll fight to keep her by my side.”

“I’m not asking you to.” Oliver said.

Steve was unsure where Oliver was going with all of this but he needed to make sure there was an understanding between the two of them. “Why not?” he asked.

Oliver smiled sadly. “Because I do not deserve her and the work that I do doesn’t allow me to be with someone I truly care about. And she’s happy with you. She loves you. You can protect her much better than I will ever be able to.”

“You can’t just decide this now and change your mind later. Felicity is coming with me to New York. You know that when she leaves, that will be it.” Steve told him.

“That will not happen. I’m back with Sara. She needs me and I need her. Felicity belongs with you.” Oliver said.

Steve shook his head, amazed at Oliver. “Felicity isn’t someone you can just shuttle around based on your whims and fancies. It’s no wonder you two never got together. I don’t understand your relationship with Sara. But I wish you both well if that is what you have chosen.”

“I don’t need you to understand my reasons. But I believe Felicity is where she belongs now. I’m happy that she has found you and I will not be standing between you both. Please take care of her for me.” Oliver said, his eyes sad.

Steve wanted to say more but decided against it. In a way, he kind of understood where Oliver was coming from because he loved Felicity too and only wanted the best for her. If it had been Steve, he would have probably done the same. He nodded. “I will always take good care of her.”

 

*

Felicity was trying very hard not to cry as she picked up pieces of equipment that had been destroyed. They had returned to the penthouse and had looked at the damage, too tired to do anything much but find a place to rest.

She hadn’t slept at all, waiting for Steve to return. When he hadn’t come back, she had asked Natasha if she could go find him. “Felicity, he will come back. Just give him some time.” Natasha had tried to reassure her, patting her back.

She had heard from Digg, who had returned to A.R.G.U.S. for debriefing before heading home with Lyla. Breathing a sigh of relief when she heard he and Lyla were safe, he had told her how Thor had come to their rescue when they had been in trouble. “That Widow. She put a tracker on me,” he had said, upset but grateful.

Thor had laughed, shrugging it off. “I had given my word that we would keep everyone on the team safe.” Felicity had given him a grateful hug, her smile watery. “Fear not, Felicity. Captain Rogers loves you and he will return. Be patient with him.” Thor had said as he hugged her back.

She made her way back to their bedroom, emotionally exhausted. Hugging Steve’s pillow to her so that she could smell him, she thought about Roy too. They hadn’t been able to find him. Was he really dead? Although many of Deathstroke’s army was behind bars and sedated, there were a lot more who had escaped, suddenly disappearing from the streets. And Deathstroke was missing too. Things were still a mess.

Felicity buried her face in Steve’s pillow, terrified now that she had made a huge mess with him. She had been so torn, knowing that he would be angry with her but she had also felt the need to protect everyone else too. She couldn’t hold her tears back any longer and started sobbing, missing him terribly.

 

*

She awoke to someone stroking her hair. Opening her eyes, she found Steve sitting on the bed next to her. She sat up quickly, her eyes swollen from her crying, but she didn’t reach out to touch him, worried would his reaction would be. Instead, she just looked at him, waiting for him to say something first.

“I’ve made you cry again.” Steve said softly as he looked at her.

“I thought you weren’t going to come back to me.” Felicity said sadly.

He lifted his hand to her cheek, rubbing at the streaks he could see from her dried tears. “I promised you that I would never leave you willingly. I just needed time to think. I hated walking away from you again, but this time, I was in a bad place with what you had done and I needed space.”

“I know. I’m so sorry.” Felicity’s voice trembled a little, hating herself for what she had put Steve through.

He sighed and hugged her close to him. “Are you going to do this to me again? Because I don’t think I can take it.”

Felicity’s voice was muffled. “I hope not. Almost dying is not the greatest of feelings.”

Steve breathed in a heavy sigh, feeling his heart pinch. “I can’t lose you. The thought that you put yourself in danger and I almost lost you from the choice you made. I can’t keep doing this. Felicity, please promise me that from now on, you will never ever do that again. Please, next time, let us decide on things together.”

“I promise. I’m just wanted to protect everyone and I wanted very much to be able to help the team. Be a true partner.” Felicity didn’t regret what she had done but she understood that she would have to change how she thought a little.

Steve tipped her chin so he could look her in the eyes. “Felicity, you are my partner. Not only on the team but in my life. I know we may not always agree on things, but we need to discuss them. We need to come to an agreement together, not apart.”

“I’ll do better at us being partners.” She said as she attempted a small smile.

He kissed her then, his tongue delving into her mouth, swirling along every delicate recess. She kissed him back, clutching at his suit. “How do I get you out of this?” she asked looking for a way to get his Captain America uniform off. She watched incredulously at how easily he eased it off, before he started removing her clothing, slowly kissing and biting his way down her.

They were both sweaty and dirty, not having cleaned up from the night before, but they didn’t care. There was a desperation in the way they kissed and touched each other, needing to know that things were alright between the two of them.

His mouth latched onto one of her breasts, sucking on her nipple as he massaged her thighs and she moaned with approval, tugging his head closer. Running his fingers over her soft skin, he teased her as he gently brushed against her throbbing clit. Felicity made a soft noise and jerked up, already wet and wanting to touch him herself but he wouldn’t let her. She could feel him smile as he moved to her other nipple, curling his tongue around it and sucking gently. He lifted one leg up as he squeezed her bum with another, pushing his pulsing length into her other leg instead of where she wanted him grinding her.

She moved impatiently as he kissed down her stomach till his face was in front of her wet heat and he blew on it gently, making her writhe. She looked down at him, her eyes glazed with desire at his face between her thighs and watched as he licked her, tasting her tentatively. Running his thumb over her nub, he started to rub her as he licked, sucked and kissed her, wanting to taste more of her. Her chest heaved as she mewled, feeling the pleasure growing at her centre and she cried out as he pushed two fingers into her, thumbing her clit as he thrust in and out.

She grabbed at his hair, her hips off the bed trying to get to him and she was near incoherent when she came the first time, sobbing. Steve slowly licked at her juices, before slowly kissing his way back up to her mouth. “I’m not going to use anything. You are mine. And I want to feel all of you.” he told her and she nodded, needing to feel nothing between them too. Not today.

She reached down, finding and holding him in her hands as she stroked his already hard throbbing length. Moving him so that he nudged her, she felt a surge of heat as she rubbed him against her entrance, wetting the tip of him and wanting him inside her. But he pulled back slightly and didn’t enter her immediately, choosing to tease her first by grinding himself against her.

“Please Steve.” She was back to begging, a whimper escaping her as he continued to rub himself against her swollen clit, coating himself with her desire.

“Please what, Felicity? Tell me what you want?” He said as he gazed down at her, loving the way her head was thrown back, her mouth open as she moaned his name. “I want you. I need to have you. Please Steve.” She thrust her hips towards him, desperate for them to be joined.

Lifting himself up, he whispered to her, “You already have me” before taking her lips as he entered her, burying himself to the hilt. They both groaned as her wet heat wrapped around him and she clawed at his back, thrusting up immediately, willing him to move quickly.

Lifting her hips up so that she was angled right, he started to thrust into her, his pace fast from the start. He hadn’t noticed it before, the difference without anything between them, but now he could feel all of her as she trembled and tightened around him, making him throb even more from his desire for her.

“Steve, do you feel that?” she moaned, as a heated tingle started fanning through him, climbing up his spine.

“Yes sweetheart.” He groaned as he circled his hips, slamming harder into her, burying himself deeper. He knew he was losing control and about to come and fast. “I can’t hold it. I need you to come for me.”

She sobbed out her reply, her back arching off the bed as she dug her nails in his back and he could feel her clenching around him as she got wetter. It was too much and he lost control then, feeling the intense streak of sensation as he lost his rhythm, feeling himself swell even larger before he exploded, his seed spilling into her. She came then, her muscles rippling and clamping hard down on him as she sobbed his name again and again and he took her mouth, needing to feel all of her, their tongues tangled and meshing in a sloppy kiss.

He lay on top of her with her arms wrapped around him, feeling like he had no strength left before lifting himself off of her slightly so she could breathe. Still joined together with him inside her, he stroked her face, kissing her gently. “You belong with me.” he told her as his gaze held hers lovingly.

“Yes, I do.” She said as she looked up at him. She raised her hand to his neck, pulling him back down so that she could kiss him, her tongue dueling with his, as her core felt a small surge of desire.

He felt himself hardening within her again, amazed that she could do that to him so soon. Smiling, she shifted her hips, writhing beneath him as her fingers trailed down his chest. “I still need you,” she told him.

He didn’t know if it was from the stresses of the day before or that they had to overcome another hurdle together, but he wanted to show her how much he needed her too. Capturing her mouth again, he proceeded to show her just how much he needed her.

 

 

* * *

Notes: This chapter was too intense for me to break it up. I hope you could feel everything including the crazy emotions that I tried to breathe into this chapter. Really hoped you enjoyed it as much as I loved writing it! Things are heading down a different path from here on out.


	27. New Possibilities

They stayed in the penthouse for another two weeks. Tony had replaced the broken windows himself, taking upon himself to pay for whatever other damage had been caused to the property. When Oliver offered to help pay for some of the damages, he wouldn’t hear of it. “Nope! You are not going to Queen over me!” He told Oliver who left it at that, not wanting to argue.

As the city dealt with the chaos that Deathstroke and his army had left behind, the Avengers laid low, the media having worked themselves up into a frenzy over the attacks and the Avengers being there, in their own way, adding to the destruction. The police and the Mayoral Office had called numerous meetings with them and there were all quite tired of the incessant calls and interruptions.

Maria had spent one night in hospital with a concussion and on being discharged, had had to deal with everything else the team needed, fielding calls and unwanted publicity. Felicity felt bad and had tried to help her in any way possible, while at the same time, picking up invaluable tips.

The rest of the time, Felicity spent her days between QC and visiting Sara in hospital where she was recovering from 2 broken ribs and a deep stab wound which had left her temporarily immobile in her left arm. She was happy that Oliver and Sara were back together although they both seemed different, not as affectionate toward each other. Not wanting to pry, she didn’t ask Sara what was wrong and Oliver was not exactly at his most chatty with her either. So she left it alone.

She had seen Laurel once when visiting Sara and the encounter had been as awkward as one would expect. She figured that Laurel was still dealing with the knowledge that Oliver was the Arrow and that she actually the capable sidekick. But Laurel had not tried to talk to her about it and Felicity was equally unwilling to start the conversation, knowing it was not her place.

Thea had held a little memorial service for Roy which she had attended. Not because she believed he was dead, but because she wanted to support him, knowing that he didn’t have many friends or family. Everyone was still actively searching for him and the belief was that if Isabel had survived being shot, Roy could have survived being stabbed, especially since he already had Mirakuru in him.

Digg had spent a few days with Lyla, not coming up to the penthouse unless it was absolutely necessary. She missed him but understood that he wanted to stay close to Lyla after that terrible night. That was till Lyla couldn’t stand it anymore and kicked him out, telling him to go be somewhere else.

Steve and Felicity had even managed to take a little trip to Vegas, courtesy of Tony Stark via the jet, to see her mum before she moved to the other side of the country. They hadn’t stayed longer than a few days, more so because her mother kept fawning over Steve which made him a little uncomfortable. And especially since her mother’s dresses kept showing more and more cleavage every day.

After a week with no news of Deathstroke or his army, they realized that he probably not going to be coming back anytime soon and Tony decided that they needed to go home to New York.

With their departure imminent, Steve asked Felicity what she wanted to do. She had her apartment to look after, her work at QC needed to be passed on and of course, her night work with Team Arrow. Did she want to leave with them or come join him later? They both were not keen to be apart and he had suggested that he stay with her till she was ready to leave. After all, he was not needed urgently in New York yet.

Oliver was the one who decided for them. “You should leave with Steve.” He told her when he found out that the Avengers were planning on leaving. “We’ll be fine here at QC and in the new lair.”

The Avengers had taken the time over the week to restore and repair the lair. With all of them pitching in, it looked brand spanking new complete with new tech upgrades and a much bigger station for whoever was taking over. Clint had even made sure that Oliver had a new Salmon Ladder, his way of telling Oliver to stay strong.

“Who will you get to help you? I can stay a while longer and help you train them.” Felicity said worriedly.

“Felicity, we’ll be fine at QC. Pepper has made sure that the hand over runs smoothly and her new plans are all in place. She’s even made sure that I have a new effective Executive Assistant to help me out.” Oliver said with a small smile. “As for the lair, Sara is being discharged and she will be able to take over along with Digg. We will be fine.”

Felicity looked up at him, seeing the pain in his eyes that he was trying so hard to hide. “You know I will miss you, right? And I’ll always be there if you need help. We’re still friends, Oliver. That has not changed.”

Oliver didn’t say anything. Instead he gathered Felicity to him in a hug. She hugged him back, knowing there was nothing she could say to make her leaving any less painful for him.

“Thank you. For all you have done for the team and for me. You know, if ever you need anything or if things don’t work out with Steve, you will always have a home to come back to here in Starling City,” Oliver said, his voice rough with emotion.

Felicity smiled up at him and kissed him on the cheek. “I’ll be just a phone call away Oliver. Or even a video chat away, if you can figure out how to work it. You know what, I’ll set it up so you just have to press a button. Easy.” She joked, trying to ease the moment.

“When do you think you will you be leaving then?” he asked her.

“I guess within the next few days after I set everything up for you. Tony has arranged packers and movers for my home so I don’t have that to worry about.” Felicity said, watching Oliver carefully.

“And where will you be staying in New York?” Oliver asked. “Tony has set Steve and me up in an apartment at the Avengers Tower. We’ll be moving in there since it’s the safest and most convenient option for the moment.” She said, flinching a little when he grimaced. She touched his arm. “Oliver?”

Oliver looked at Felicity, his expression strained. “I want you to know that I meant every word that I said when I told you how I felt about you. My only regret is that I never told you earlier.”

“In a way, so am I.” She smiled at him sadly. “I guess we weren’t meant to be. And you have Sara now. You both need to take care of each other.”

“Sara and I have a long way to go. But I’ve promised myself that I will work at being with her.” Oliver said.

“What is that supposed to mean? I know you love Sara. I’ve seen you both together and you both were happy.” Felicity frowned, confused.

“Yes, I love her. But we are both damaged souls. Sara was convinced that I needed to find someone who could find the light in me. She thought that person would be you.” Oliver told her honestly. After all, what should be said would have to be said now, before she left.

Felicity sucked in her breath in surprise. “Oliver. You don’t need me to find your light. It already shines within you. Maybe if you were a little less broody, it might shine a little brighter.” She joked. “But I see it all the time. It’s always been there.”

Oliver couldn’t help but smile at her. “You always see the good in people, Felicity. It’s what draws people to you.”

“I thought it was my nerdiness and perpetual babble.” She smiled up at him, happy that his face seemed a little lighter. “Or maybe, that’s why people run far, far away.”

“I know I ran from you but it was because I thought that I didn’t deserve you.” Oliver was back to being sad again.

“Oliver. You are an incredible person. You are full of love for people. So you know, I believe in you and in everything you do. You deserve to be happy.”

Oliver shook his head. “All I want is for you to be happy. Are you happy with him?”

Felicity looked up at the man she used to love, feeling his pain. “Yes I am. Very happy. But Oliver, I want you to be happy too. I hope that you and Sara will find happiness together. Whatever has happened in your lives in the past may have changed you both, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t deserve to be happy. Can I ask you something?” When Oliver nodded, she continued. “You told me before that because of the work you do, you could never be with someone that you truly cared about. Is that still true?”

Oliver looked at her for a moment, his eyes slightly haunted, before saying quietly. “No, that’s no longer true.”

 

*

Steve, Felicity, Digg, Sam and Lyla had decided that they needed to spend some quality time together and had gone out for dinner one night. Felicity watched amused as Digg fussed over Lyla, asking her what she wanted to eat. “Will this make you feel ill? It has a strong smell and I don’t want it to set you off.” Digg asked Lyla, as he pointed to something on the menu.

“Johnny, I’m fine. I am not feeling as sick as I was last week and I can try it. I never know anyway what will make me feel sick, so let’s just order and see what happens.” Lyla told him patiently, a small smile playing at her lips.

Sam laughed. “Digg, my man. I can’t wait to see what kind of doting father you are going to be. It’ll be a sight.”

Digg glared at him as Lyla laughed. “He’ll be a wonderful father. I am not worried in the slightest.”

Steve’s arm tightened around Felicity a little and she looked at him. He was looking at her intently and she smiled, knowing what he was thinking.

“What’s going on with you two over there?” Sam asked curiously, looking at the both of them.

“Nothing Sam. I don’t know what you mean.” Steve said with a small shrug.

Digg looked at Felicity, his eyebrows raised and she laughed. “It really is nothing. We’re just happy for you both. I’m can’t wait for the baby to be born so that I can hold her.”

“How do you know it’s a girl?” Digg asked. “Well, I just have this feeling that you need another girl to protect Digg.” Felicity smiled back at him.

Lyla laughed and looked at Digg. “I can just see him as the over-protective father now. I pity any boy who tried to come anywhere near his daughter.”

 

*

“I’m not sure if I’m pregnant, Steve. It’s better if I wait another week before I take a pregnancy test.” Felicity told him later. She was surprised at the look of disappointment on his face. “You’re not really hoping I’m pregnant, are you?”

“I don’t know. I think I’m just all excited at the possibility of a family.” Steve said, his face a little sad.

Felicity looked at him, a tint frown on her face. “Steve?” she said, a question in her voice.

“You know when my father died, I was really young and then there was just my mother and me left. We were just a little family struggling to get by but we were really close. And I had Bucky too. I didn’t need feel like I needed any brothers or sisters as I had the both of them. They were enough. And then my mother died and Bucky enlisted and I was alone again. I had nobody left. Then I woke up here and I still had no one left, till I met you. I know you don’t want to think about anything more serious than us moving in together right now. Maybe at the back of my mind, I’m yearning to have that feeling of family again. That’s all.” Steve said quietly.

Felicity kissed him softly. “Thank you for telling me about your mother and Bucky. Yes, moving in together would have been a big step for me in the past and I’m not usually one to rush headlong into things either. But Steve, we’ve both gone through so much together that I think we’ve bypassed the usual stages of dating, don’t you think? I know don’t have to tell you how I feel about us anymore. And if I’m pregnant, our lives are going to change and fast. For now, I’m just going to worry about all the things we need to do first. We need to find Deathstroke and Roy. And I did promise you that we would look for Bucky. We need to find him and bring him home. I also want you to remember that you have another family. Your team. They may not be blood, but I’ve seen all of you together. They consider you family.”

He felt his chest expand as he kissed her. “I can’t ever get enough of you. You have no idea how happy you make me. That you are coming home with me so that we can start a new life together means more than words can say. But if you are with my child, I will want us to be a family. A proper family. No ifs, whens or buts.”

Rubbing her nose against his cheek, she smiled softly. “We’ll talk about it once we find out for sure.”

 

*

“This place is huge!” Felicity said as she looked around their apartment. She opened each door excitedly, wanting to see what was hidden in each room. Tony had made sure that all their stuff from both their apartments had already arrived and had been unpacked. It looked like an eclectic mix of furniture but somehow it fit together in the huge space.

“I love it!” she laughed as she hugged Steve.

“I can see that. It’s hard to miss.” He laughed at how excited she was as he hugged her back.

Pulling him into the kitchen, she opened and closed the cabinet doors, peeking at everything. Turning to him, her lips were pursed together. “I forgot to tell you how lousy a cook I am. I live on takeout.”

He shook his head, smiling at how silly she was. “I can cook. I’ll teach you.”

Her mouth formed an ‘O’ as she stared at him in surprise. “I had to learn to look after myself when I was younger. But I don’t think I can cook well. You’ll have to tell me what you think.”

“What other hidden talents do you have Steve that I don’t know about?” Felicity asked, her head tilted to the side.

“Um. I can draw a little. I went to Art School before I enlisted. I’ll show you some of my work.” Steve said, a little embarrassed.

“Show me.” Felicity said excitedly as she bounced up and down.

“I have to find my sketchbooks first.” He laughed, not knowing where they had been unpacked. “I’ll show you later.”

“What do you draw?” She asked, curious. “Anything that interests me. I even drew this tower once. I think that was before I met Tony, otherwise I would have been less interested.” He smiled as he remembered.

Felicity grinned at him. “Will you draw me?”

“Most definitely. How could I not want to?” Steve smiled tweaking her nose.

She smiled before dragging him into the bedroom. “That’s a huge bed. We’ll get lost in it.” She said in awe. “And an even bigger bathroom. It’s the size of my old bedroom.”

Steve smiled as he stood leaning against the door frame, loving how excited she was. “I’m guessing you like our new place.”

She wrapped her arms around waist, resting her head on his chest. “I do. But what makes it better is that it’s our place.”

They stood like that for a while, just holding each other before being interrupted by Jarvis. “Captain Rogers. Ms Smoak. Mr Stark has asked that you join him as soon as you can. He said to tell you that if you didn’t turn up soon, he’ll come looking for you personally.”

Felicity rubbed her head against Steve’s chest, giggling at his sigh. “Guess we better go before Tony gets impatient then.”

Steve was annoyed. “He better learn to give us some privacy. I’m not going to be at his beck and call.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll find a way to block the internal comms and I’m sure I can get Jarvis to help. Right Jarvis?” She called out.

“I’m not sure what you mean Ms Smoak but I will do what I can to help.” Jarvis intoned as Felicity laughed and pulled Steve toward the door.

“Jarvis, where is Tony anyway?” she asked.

 

*

“Oh my God! This is all mine?” Felicity asked, her mouth open in shock.

“How many flies have you caught in your lifetime?” Tony asked her, tapping her chin.

She snapped her mouth shut and turned to him wide-eyed. “I don’t understand. How can this be my new work space?”

“Well technically, this is the area that you will be using the most. But you have access to almost everything on this floor. I work here a lot and so does Bruce. Some of the others come up here once in a while, to work on their new playthings. Think of it as the Avengers’ personal Applied Sciences Division and you are now our new Technical Director, well after me of course.”

Felicity couldn’t believe it. She ran her fingers in wonder over everything in front of her and let out a squeal when a virtual keyboard appeared, ready and waiting for her to touch it. She gave Tony a massive hug, a huge smile on her face. “This is incredible! Thank you! Thank you! I can’t wait to start work!” she laughed excitedly.

Tony hugged her back, smiling. “Anything for my new in-house tech Goddess! But maybe you should till tomorrow to start work. Don’t you need to give your boyfriend some attention first?”

Felicity looked over at Steve who just laughed and shook his head. “Oh no. I am not going to say anything.” He smiled at how happy she was, watching as she looked wide eyed at everything before her.

“Nope, boyfriend comes first.” She said smiling as she gave him a quick kiss. “But I’ll be back to look at all my new babies first thing tomorrow morning.”

 

*

It was late when she made the video call to the lair. “Hi Digg!” She smiled happily at him when he answered the call.

“Felicity. Good to see you arrived safe and sound.” Digg smiled back.

Oliver and Sara’s faces appeared on the screen behind him. “Hey you two!” she called out when she saw them.

“Felicity. You’ve arrived. Everything okay over there?” Sara asked.

“Yup! Everything is A-okay. Wonderful! Amazing! In fact, I’m in tech-heaven here! But you didn’t have to know that. Not when I just left. And how are all of you there?” Felicity tried to be sensitive but was failing miserably.

“Felicity, you just left this morning. Everything is still the same. We’re fine.” Oliver said with his usual dry tone.

“Yup, I can see that nothing has changed. Nothing at all.” She drawled.

“You’re going to have to give us an update on all your new goodies.” Sara smiled at her.

“I will. Give me a few days to run my fingers over everything and I’ll be able to give you a description of everything I’ve touched.” She said, her eyes dreamy.

Digg laughed. "Its strange to see you say that from over a screen and not from beside us."

“Oh Digg. I miss you guys too. Look, I’ll call you back in a few days okay. Or you can call me if anything comes up. Like if you need help with anything. Just let me know.” Felicity said with a rush.

“Felicity, we’ll be fine. You just get settled in where you are. Call us when you can.” Oliver told her gently.

“Okay. Night guys.” She said as she waved goodbye and ended the call. She swivelled her chair around and found Steve sitting watching her with a small smile on his face.

“You okay?” he asked, his face understanding.

“I just miss them already.” She said, her smile a little sad.

“I know, sweetheart. But we can always go back to visit them or bring them to here for a visit. They won’t ever be too far away.” He said as he stood holding out his hand to her.

She took it, and he pulled her to him, kissing her forehead. She closed her eyes as she snuggled close to him, wanting to feel his warmth. “I know. But they are family. They will always be family.” She said teary eyed.

He tugged her gently toward their bedroom. “Come on. Let’s go to bed. You can call them back tomorrow and confuse them with all the new things you have discovered. Because honestly, everything I saw up there today is certainly beyond me.”

“Okay. But do you think we can explore the shower first?” she asked him. “I want to make sure it can definitely fit the two of us in there,” she smiled up at him as she pulled him into the bathroom.

 

 

* * *

Notes: A less intense chapter although I felt like a ping pong ball when it came to writing the number of different emotions I had to cover. I hope I didn’t tire you out.


	28. Undetected

It didn’t take long for Felicity to feel right at home. She had spent her first few days at the Avengers Tower acquainting herself with everything. She found that everyone else’s living quarters were equally large and lavish and has been pleasantly surprised as to how personalized some of them were. She loved the communal kitchen and dining area, probably because she was too busy to prepare anything herself and had stared open-mouthed on her sole visit to the armory. _I thought Nat’s toys were cool, but woah, the Avengers as a team have much bigger playthings,_ she giggled to herself.

Steve spent a lot of his day in the gym training with the others. The gym was state-of-the-art and impressive but she avoided it like the plague when Natasha was around. She figured Nat would happily find a new way to torture her during training. So she spent most of her time in the technical labs and sometimes in the medical labs, visiting Bruce.

She was now sitting in front of three different screens, her head swivelling to each one as she scrolled through data. She was still not quite used to the 3D holographs that could be pulled from the screens, not knowing whether she preferred her slightly more old school approach of being able to touch things. So when the call came in, she was happy for the quick distraction.

“Digg! I’m so happy to see you.” She said smiling at him.

“What, you miss me already?” Digg chuckled, smiling back at her.

“Of course I miss you! I wish you were here.” Her smile was wistful before she brightened up.

“You should see all the new toys they have given me to play with. I don’t know where to start. My head feels like it’s about to explode.”

“I can only imagine what you have been up to. But please, no exploding heads. I’d like your head to stay on those shoulders of yours.” Digg laughed before becoming more serious. “Anyway, that’s why I called. I wanted to know if you have managed to find any trace of Roy, Slade or that darned army of his yet?”

Felicity shook her head. “Nothing yet. Everything has been quiet. But that’s why everyone here has been worried. We have no idea what to expect when Slade reappears.”

“Waller is sending the Suicide Squad down to D.C. to check on anything we missed the last time I was there. We figured we might as well start there since it was the last place he was seen before he appeared in Starling City. I’m heading out tomorrow.” Digg told her.

“What about Lyla? Is she going to?” Felicity asked.

Digg sighed. “Yes she is. She has made up her mind to stay active on the Squad so I can’t stop her.”

“I know you worry about her but she knows what she’s doing, Digg.” Felicity knew that what she was saying wouldn’t help. “What about Oliver and Sara?”

“They’ll stay in Starling City. Oliver doesn’t want to have anything to do with Waller and they can handle things without me while I’m away.” Actually Oliver had been pissed that he was leaving for D.C. but Digg wasn’t about to tell Felicity that. He didn’t want to upset her.

“Ok. Call me when you can from D.C. and say hi to Sam for me when you see him.” Felicity said smiling. “I will. We’ll keep in touch.” Digg smiled back. “Stay safe,” were Felicity’s last words to him as she waved goodbye.

 

*

Bruce was down in the Med Lab frowning at a computer screen when Felicity found him. “What’s up? Why the face? You usually don’t do faces like that unless you’re the other guy. Not that I want to see the other guy cos’ he’s kind of big and green and scary and you have a much cuter puppy dog face.” Felicity gave him a quick smile.

Bruce gave her a small smile in response. “I’m having trouble wrapping my head around this,” pointing at the information he had on his screen.

She looked at the images and scans on the screens but didn’t understand it. “Okay. I may not be the best person to help but maybe you saying it out loud will trigger some ideas. It always has with me,” she said trying to be helpful.

“I’ve been trying to isolate some of the individual reactions that are caused by Mirakuru. If I can inhibit the adrenaline boost that causes extreme anger, for example, then perhaps I can find out what other triggers there are to the brain. Same with strength and agility.” He looked toward Felicity to make sure she was following him so far before continuing. “I’m also comparing these reactions to Steve’s. He mentioned how they were different to his abilities, but similar to the Winter Soldier and what HYDRA had been experimenting on.”

When he paused, Felicity tried prompting him a little. “Okay, so Steve doesn’t get mad but everyone else does. No one has been able to replicate the same kind of serum that was given to Steve yet. What else?”

“There’s one other guy we haven’t talked about yet.” Bruce said.

Felicity frowned, confused. “There’s someone else? Who?”

“Banner.” Tony said, from where he was leaning against a table.

Felicity jumped. “Why are you always sneaking around?”

“I wasn’t sneaking Smoakie. You just didn’t notice me, what with the goo goo you were making at the Doc here.” Tony teased her.

“I was not making goo goo eyes!” Felicity sputtered indignantly. “What did you mean when you said it was Bruce?”

Tony tilted his head at Bruce, asking him to carry on talking. Bruce sighed. “Do you know how I became the Green Guy?” Felicity shook her head. “I was working on biologically enhancing human soldiers for the army. We were trying to strengthen cell resistance to radiation especially since such weapons were becoming more common and dangerous. I got too confident and injected myself with the serum I created, thinking it would be safe. When I exposed myself to gamma radiation, something went wrong with the chemical combinations in by body and I became what I am now. What I didn’t know then was that the serum I was working on was actually the army trying to recreate the serum that they had given to Steve as a weapon.”

Felicity looked at him in shock. “So what you are trying to tell me is that all of these serums are linked? That’s it some pale imitation of what was given to Steve and all these new serums are failed experiments trying to recreate him? Why do they not look like you then?” Felicity snapped her mouth shut and closed her eyes for a second. “I’m sorry. That was rude.”

Bruce shook his head sadly. “They may not come out big and green but they all come out very angry. Remember how uncontrolled Roy’s anger was. Tony was not wrong when he said Roy was becoming very much like me.”

Tony chimed in then. “The only difference is that the Hulk is becoming more controlled when he interacts with us whereas the crazies are becoming less controlled. We see that Deathstroke was able to control them to a certain extent at Starling City, but if Roy was anything to go by, that control will start to slip the longer the serum stays within their body.”

“What’s the difference then?” Felicity asked.

“That’s what I can’t seem to wrap my head around. I was trying to remember that machine we saw at the warehouse and the green fluid in the tubes. I need to understand it but I didn’t get a good look at it.”

“You mean the one which used the pulses of energy? You said it was maybe used for blood transfusions.” Felicity mulled it over.

Bruce looked at her intently. “What did you say?”

“Which one? About the energy or the blood transfusions?” Felicity asked puzzled.

“Explain to me about the energy again.” He asked, tapping on the screens to pull up some notes he had saved.

“We found Slade’s lair by tracking alternating power surges that cycled through the grid. They were small on their own and didn’t seem to create a power bloom that would have given Slade’s location away. But I don’t understand how that is linked to what you are talking about.” She didn’t like the look of dismay that appeared on Bruce’s face.

“Banner, talk to me.” Tony said, his voice serious.

“There could be a reason that there wasn’t a power bloom. If they were conducting the transfusions and exposing them to tiny doses of gamma rays at the same time, the electromagnetic radiation would be at too high a frequency, therefore making the energy level spurts almost undetectable without a spectrometer, even though ironically they have extremely high energy levels. They could effectively be trying to make more controlled versions of me.”

“Damn it! Jarvis, call everyone together for a meeting now! And tell them it’s urgent!” Tony yelled out.

 

*

Steve was sitting on the couch, his face contemplative, when Felicity found him in their apartment. “Hi.” She said smiling as she sat down next to him, giving him a sweet kiss and snuggling up close to him.

“Hi. How come you came back? I thought you were going to work on some stuff with Tony and Bruce?” he asked as he pulled her closer.

“I was. But you looked so concerned after the meeting that I wanted to make sure you were okay.” She told him, searching his eyes.

Steve sighed and shifted position so he could move Felicity till she was half leaning on him, her head on his chest. “It’s a lot for me to take in. I know I was the first person that Dr Erskine experimented on and I’m grateful that the experiment was successful. We all thought that it was the end of the serum when he was killed but then HYDRA tried to recreate it. And look what happened to Bucky after that. Now I’ve learnt that the reason why Bruce is what he is now is because they were trying to recreate the serum again. And Deathstroke is doing the same thing. It feels like this is never-ending and I’m fighting the same battle over and over again. I remember when I woke up, they told me that we had won the war. They didn’t say what we lost. Our respect for mankind. Our humanity. Or did we ever gain it at all? I’m no longer sure what I’m fighting for.”

Felicity kissed him softly before saying, “I think mankind remains the same. Throughout history, nothing much has changed. There has always been someone who craves more power and who fight to not only to protect their country but also the innocent, the people they have never met. It will always be that way. The only difference is what we use to fight these wars. It’s not smarter, just different.”

Steve stared at her. “I forget that my girl is not only wonderful but also a genius. And she’s incredibly good at making me smile.” He ran his fingertips over her cheek before tangling his hands in her hair, pulling her to him. He nipped at her lower lip before smoothing it over with his tongue. “And you taste so sweet.” He darted his tongue in her mouth before tangling it with hers, feeling the desire start to rise in him.

“I wish I could stay here with you but I really do need to get back upstairs.” Felicity giggled at the expression on his face. “We can continue this later though, when I get back.” She screamed as he jumped up with her in his arms.

“No can do. You’ve got me all hot and bothered now and I’m not letting you go anywhere.” He strode into their bedroom as she laughed, her arms around his neck. Looking up at him with a grin, she wriggled a little in his arms, trying to get to him. “Ok, guess I’m not going anywhere then.”

 

*

Tony glared at her when she appeared an hour later. “I’m setting you up with your personal girl Wednesday. So that you keep your appointments. You were supposed to meet us an hour ago.”

“It’s supposed to be Girl Friday, Tony.” Felicity told him with a cheeky grin.

“Yes, but today is Wednesday. You’ll get a Girl Thursday tomorrow and a Girl Friday on Friday.” Tony told with a pout.

Felicity just patted him on the arm as she walked over to Bruce. “What can I do to help you? I don’t know much about biophysics but I’m sure I can help you with something else.”

“Stark is already working on how to trace any unusual production of gamma rays using the wavelength and energy levels. I need you to try to do something similar. Computers give off electromagnetic waves which you can trace. That machine that they are using would probably be giving off a unique signal and will have some kind of intelligent computerized system to regulate the transfusions and introduction of the gamma rays. Perhaps you can find the machine using all the noise it makes.”

“Oh my God! It really is different working side by side with two geniuses. This is so much more fun! I’ll get right on it.” Felicity walked quickly to a computer terminal, pulling up screens for her to swipe through. She missed Tony’s happy grin as he glanced over at her.

They worked at it for another few hours before Felicity told them she was calling it a day. “I’ve set up the systems so that we will be alerted to anything even remotely similar to what we had discussed. But it may take days for it to sort through all the noise. I have to try to figure out how to narrow the search down more.”

Bruce smiled. “Rome wasn’t built in a day, Felicity. Things take time and we don’t expect you to sit by your desk waiting.”

“Speak for yourself.” Tony pulled a face. “I intend to torture her with mindless errands till she begs for mercy.”

Felicity laughed happily. “Thank guys. I’ll see you both in the morning.”

Tony called out to her as she walked away. “And Smoakie, if you’re not here bright and early, I’ll get your Girl Thursday to play havoc with your systems.” Felicity didn’t look back but just wriggled her fingers goodbye.

 

*

After a few days, they were still nowhere near finding anything and Steve had decided that they both needed a day off. “You’ve been working on this non-stop. You need to rest otherwise you’re going to burn out. So I’m taking you out. No argument.” Steve had told her as he packed a bag full of stuff for them.

Felicity laughed. “Okay, where are we going? I need to know what to bring with me. Or is it another secret hiking trip?”

“We’re going to the beach and to get some sunshine. Pack your swimsuit and a change of clothes in case we don’t make it back tonight.” He told her with a grin.

She squealed in delight. “The beach! Yes! I love beaches!” She kissed him on the cheek before running off to get changed.

Steve had had his bike brought over to New York but they couldn’t take it with all the things he wanted to bring with him. So he had borrowed one of Tony’s cars frustrated that he could not find a single one that would not stand out. “We need to get us a car that a traffic cop will not be dying to pull over.” He had told Felicity as he packed their stuff in what he thought was the trunk. He couldn’t tell, it was tiny. He stuffed everything else in the non-existent back seat.

They got to the beach just before lunch and found it practically deserted, being that it was a weekday. Hiking a little further away, they found a decently secluded spot and laid everything out so that they could have lunch. Sitting together on a beach mat, they dined on the little feast he had prepared, watching the small waves crash on the beach, just content to sit silently enjoying the peacefulness.

“Full?” he asked as when they had eaten everything. “Yup. Way too full. I’m going to burst.” She giggled.

He laughed at her as he packed everything up, spreading out beach towels side by side so that they could sunbathe. He stripped off his shirt and sat down, taking out a bottle of sun lotion. “Are you going to get some sun too or would you like to go in the water?” he asked her, smiling.

“Hmmm. I’m too full, so sun first.” She said as she pulled off her sundress.

Steve stared, swallowing hard as he let his eyes roam over her looking fit and toned in her little blue bikini. _I can’t believe how gorgeous she is_. He reached out his hand and pulled her gently to sit next to him. “Lotion?” he asked, holding up the bottle for her to see. When she nodded and turned her back to him, he poured a little on his hand and started to slowly rub circles onto her skin.

Finishing with her back, he turned her around so he could rub some on her front. Pushing her gently down, he started at her shoulders, running his hands down her arms, along her chest to her stomach. He glanced up at her and found her staring back at him, her blue eyes darker with desire and her lips slightly parted. “You better stop looking at me like that if you want me to finish.” he told her as he trailed down to her thighs. Her moan brought his eyes back to her face and he watched her as she panted lightly, biting her lip to stop herself from moaning any louder.

Putting the lotion aside, he bent down and captured her lips, biting her lower lip and pulling on it, making her gasp. He soothed it by running his tongue over it, before plunging his tongue in her mouth, tasting the food and wine on her tongue. She moaned into his mouth and wound her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. His fingers found her thigh and he trailed them around the back till he reached her bum, pulling her to where he was already hard.

“Oh God. Steve.” She gasped as her heat came into contact with him, feeling him even through the thin layer of clothes separating them.

Steve struggled to remember that they were in a public place as he rolled them till they were lying on the sides. He ground into her a little before pulling away abruptly. “Felicity, it’s too public here. We can’t.”

Felicity groaned in frustration. “Why are we so far away from home?”

Steve smiled at before giving her a quick hard kiss. “We passed this lovely little place on our way here. They might have a vacancy. We can go check it out if you want.”

“Steve Rogers, what on earth are you waiting for?” She said as she jumped up and started packing their stuff.

He laughed. “Well, I thought I’d be a little more gentlemanly here. I wasn’t intending on ravishing you so early on our date.”

“Like I care.” She threw back at him as she tugged him in the direction of the car. _To hell with gentlemanliness._

 

 

* * *

Notes: Out of pure curiosity, I would love to know what you think of Felicity being pregnant or not and any reasons why. Please know though that what you say will not be changing the result since I’ve already written the next five chapters and I won’t be rewriting them. Not sure whether I’m opening Pandora’s Box here, but I love hearing what everyone thinks.


	29. I'm Right Here

 

 

 

Felicity couldn’t tell if the Bed and Breakfast was as nice as Steve had said it was. They had paid for the room and had made their way up the stairs in record time. They now stood naked under the shower, trying to get rid of the sand and lotion from the beach as they kissed frantically before drying themselves with fluffy towels.

Lifting Felicity up, Steve threw her unceremoniously on the bed as she giggled. He crawled over her, pinning her hands above her head as he kissed his way down her neck, nipping and laving each bite with his tongue. She writhed beneath him, thrusting her breasts up against his chest as she moaned from his attention.

He let go of her hands only to find her breasts, pinching her nipples and pulling them slightly so he could suck on them one by one. Moaning, Felicity arched her back as she ran her fingers through his hair, trying to move him closer. Gliding his hands down her side, he slid his hands under her bum, lifting her off the bed slightly as he ran his tongue down her stomach to her hip. When he bit her gently there, she whimpered and grabbed his hand, pulling him toward her heat where she needed him to touch her.

Steve smiled at her impatience before fingering her clit, rubbing it gently and blowing on it. She made a strangled noise as she felt him press his tongue to her, first swirling around her clit before delving deeper, licking her juices. He knew she liked his fingers there too and reached up to plunge them in one by one, stroking in and out as he licked at her swollen nub. She tried jerking her hips up but he held her down as he paid attention with tongue and lips, biting, sucking and kissing her till she was begging him for release. Using his thumb, he rubbed her faster as he plunged his fingers in and out, giving her a lick every few seconds till he felt her lift off the bed, crying out from the intensity of her coming.

“On your back,” she told him when she could move again. When he had rolled over, she climbed on top of him, holding him down with her hips. She demanded that he not move as she shimmied downward, taking his hard length in her hands. Giving his tip little licks, she felt him twitch as he groaned. Gently sliding her hands up and down him, she popped his head in her mouth just a little before licking him up his side. When he didn’t stop her, she took him deeper, sucking on him as he tried to control the thrusting of his hips upwards as she bobbed up and down.

“No. I’m not going to come like this. I want to feel you.” He said reaching for a condom as he pulled her up and lifted her so that her hips were angled right above him. “No condom.” She didn’t explain but instead, sank down onto him, making him jerk upward as they both groaned at the connection.

He grasped her at the hips, rocking her as he thrust up. She couldn’t stop her moans now and she grabbed the pillow by his head, feeling him sliding within her walls, sending spasms of crazy sensation through her.

“Oh God, don’t stop!” she bit out as he continued to thrust up, lifting his hips as he did so. He pressed her hips downward, squeezing their centres together, creating a delightful friction. She grabbed his face and kissed him hard as she moaned into his mouth, the sensation mounting within her. Pressing her forehead to his, she looked into his eyes as she moved above him, starting to pant and sob as she felt the pressure starting to coil and build. “Harder. Please Steve. Harder” she begged and he complied. He groaned as he gripped her tighter, making her cry out as he slammed into her.

When she came, it was with a muffled cry as she pressed her lips to his forehead, her walls clenching and spasming around him. He wasn’t far behind, only holding on barely till she had come, before allowing himself his own release. He held her to him, his eyes gazing back into hers as he emptied himself into to her, slowly thrusting up without any kind of rhythm till he was spent. Only then did she collapse on top of him, kissing him as he ran his hands up and down her back.

“I don’t want to move.” She moaned after a while.

“Then don’t. I like you on top of me like this.” He smiled into her hair.

She turned her face and kissed his temple before burying her nose in his face. “I’m crazy about you.” she told him smiling.

“Is that so?” he asked grinning.

“Yup! Definitely crazy about you. Even more crazy after this perfect lovemaking session.” She started nibbling on his ear, making him twitch.

He rolled them over till he was on top of her, still buried inside of her and rapidly becoming hard. “I can’t believe that I’m ready all over again. What are you doing to me?” he asked amazed.

“Hmm, the same thing you do to me.” She said as she bit his neck and sucked. He was sweaty and his wonderful musky scent was driving her crazy. The sharp nip made him suck in his breath and he started to slowly move within her, making her gasp from the new sensation of pleasure rippling through her.

This time, they made love a lot slower, their lips joined in long kisses as they moved and ground themselves together. He hitched her legs up as he drove into her, rubbing her already sensitive clit and when she came this time, it seemed endless as she rippled around him, biting down on his shoulder to prevent herself from screaming his name. When he came, it was with a guttural roar as he shot his seed into her, almost painfully.

He rolled off of her this time and went to get something to clean them both up. Lying back down next to her, he pushed sweaty strands of hair away and kissed her forehead, before gathering her close as he wrapped himself around her.

“Felicity.” he said softly.

She looked at him, lifting her hand to brush over his forehead, a question in her eyes.

“I wish my mother could have met you. She would have loved you.” Steve breathed a little sigh as he pressed his lips to her hair.

She smiled sweetly at him. “And I would have loved to have met your mother. I would have thanked her for having such a wonderful son.”

He was silent for a while, perhaps lost in his memories. “I remember when I woke up, all I wanted to do for the longest time was just to go back. Go back to the way things used to be. I didn’t like being here and I wanted to return to what I knew. I was angry that I couldn’t and that I had to start my life over. I remember taking the train and just staring out the window at the city or walking around aimlessly, looking at people passing me by and asking why I had to be here. It took me a while to accept it all. But now, now I cannot be anymore thankful that I’m starting over with you.”

She smoothed her fingers over his chest and his strong shoulders before wrapping her arms around his neck so she could kiss him softly, again and again and again. “Steve. I’m pregnant.”

Steve shot up immediately, turning to look at her. “What? Are you sure?” he asked, desperately wanting it to be true.

“I think so. The pregnancy tests I took came out positive but I think I need to see a doctor to get confirmation.” Felicity said hesitantly.

Steve was off the bed in a flash and tugging on Felicity, “Okay, we need to find a doctor right now.”

Laughing, she reached her hands out to him. “Steve, it’s too late to see a doctor now. We’ll have to make an appointment for tomorrow. Please, come here. Right now, I just need you to hold me.”

He climbed back on the bed immediately, pulling her into his arms and kissing her tenderly. “I love you, so very much. You’ve already given me so much by being in my life and now, you’ve given me yet another precious gift. I’m going to be a father.” He whispered, hardly believing it but wanting it to be true.

“So I guess that means you’re happy.” Felicity asked, smiling softly. Never in a million years would Felicity have even thought she’d be happy about being pregnant and unmarried, but this was Steve and she was carrying his child. There was something surreal yet amazing about it.

“I could not be happier.” Steve gazed at her and he felt his chest expand. She sat there, as if aglow, her face beautiful to behold and he lifted his hand to touch her lips, before cupping her cheek. When she nuzzled his hand and looked back up at him, he slanted his lips over hers, capturing her sweetness, kissing her till she was breathless. He then proceeded to show her once more how much he loved her.

It was late by the time hunger drove them to leave their room in search of dinner. They managed to find a cozy little restaurant a little further down the road and dined in the privacy of a little alcove, very much in a world of their own. On returning to their room, they spent the night just enjoying each other’s company, slowly making love to each other or just lying quietly nestled together, wanting to enjoy their happiness without the intrusion of anyone else. They needed this time away from the team and the hectic pace within the Tower, thankful for the small reprieve, knowing that when they returned, life would become a lot more chaotic.

 

*

Steve had called Tony and had arranged for Felicity to see a trusted doctor who would guarantee privacy for the both of them. They had driven back early to the city for the appointment and were now heading back to the Avengers Tower, excited but somewhat apprehensive about telling everyone the good news. They had almost reached the tower when Steve swerved the car suddenly to the curb and slammed on the brakes. He yelled for Felicity to stay put as he jumped out of the car.

Felicity, tried to run after him, but she lost sight of him in the crowds. When Steve eventually reappeared, his face was distraught.

“What happened? Steve? Look at me.” She asked as she took his face in her hands, trying to get him to look at her.

“I saw Bucky. He was right here standing on the curb looking right at me.” Steve took a deep breath, trying to calm himself as he continued to look around, searching his surroundings.

“Are you sure it was him?” Felicity asked. Perhaps he had only seen someone that looked like Bucky.

Steve nodded, his expression grim. “I’m sure. He looked me right in the eye. He wasn’t an illusion, Felicity.”

Felicity wasn’t sure what to do but there wasn’t any point standing around. “Okay. Let’s go back to the tower and see what we can do. I can try to get some footage off cameras around here and see if we can find him.” she said as she pulled him towards the car.

“I know he’s watching us Felicity. I can feel him.” Steve said as he drove off toward the tower.

Felicity shivered a little, not liking the idea that she was being watched, regardless of whether it was Bucky or not.

 

*

Felicity didn’t find anything on the cams. Bucky was too smart and had stayed out of sight, hidden on the crowded streets.

“He’s here because of you, Steve.” Natasha said as she scanned the footage one more time.

“How can you be so sure?” Felicity frowned.

Steve was standing off to the side, his expression frustrated. “Because he came to look for me. Bucky knows where to find me and he purposely let me see him standing there. If he wants to talk to me, he’ll be back.”

“Was he in civilian?” Clint asked. When Steve nodded yes, Clint considered it for a moment before saying. “Then he’s not here as the Winter Soldier. We can maybe expect a friendlier visit.”

“Well, I’m not letting him in here. He’s known to shoot things to bits and I just renovated!” Tony said defiantly, his armed crossed.

Felicity pulled up footage of the Winter Soldier on her screens, studying it. “Umm, if he really wanted to get in here, could we stop him?”

Steve shook his head. “Maybe not. But if he really wanted to meet me here, he would already have tried. No, we’re going to have to wait him out. He’ll come to us when he wants to.”

“Hill, I want tighter checks on the tower on the lower levels.” Tony told Maria. “I’m increasing security on all our systems anyway. If he decides to come tango with us, I’ll make him do the cha cha.” He looked up at Steve and Felicity, remembering their morning appointment. “So Smoakie, are you feeling better?”

“Huh?” Felicity said, her attention still focused on the screens.

“You went to see the doctor this morning. Are you not feeling well?” Tony asked curiously, noting that Felicity seemed to look fine and healthy.

Steve and Felicity exchanged looks before Steve sighed. “Maybe you all should sit down.” He said, looking around at the faces of his teammates.

“You’re pregnant, aren’t you?” Natasha asked before either Felicity or Steve could say anything.

Felicity nodded, worried that they would be upset and she laughed in surprise when Tony pulled her to him in a hug.

“Congratulations Smoakie! But just so you know, I’m never babysitting. And don’t give Pepper any ideas either.” He told her as he slapped Steve on the back, rolling his eyes as he whispered into Steve’s ear. “Either you have been very productive or you have super sperm too.” Steve pushed him away, happy but embarrassed.

While everyone else offered Steve and her their congratulations, Natasha actually gave Felicity a hug, surprising her. “Thank you Natasha.” Felicity told her, tears in her eyes.

“Thank you for making Steve so happy.” Natasha said but her eyes were sad.

Felicity noticed and placed her hand on Natasha’s. “Hey, what’s wrong? Is this upsetting you?” she asked her worriedly.

“No. Everything is fine.” Natasha assured her. Felicity didn’t believe her but she figured Natasha would share when she was ready to.

“Now we have all the more reason to beef up security of this tower. Romanov and Barton, can you please work on the systems and make sure the tower is as secure as it can possibly be?” Tony wasn’t going to chance the tower being breached at all now.

 

*

Felicity ran the facial recognition search, the last of the additional security programs that had been set up in case Bucky decided to pay them a visit. Rubbing her neck tiredly, she called out. “Jarvis, where is Steve now?”

“He’s in the gym, Ms Smoak.” Jarvis responded.

“Thank you, Jarvis.” Felicity said as she got up and made her way to the elevators. When the doors opened to the gym, she could hear the rhythmic pounding of a punching bag and she sighed as she went in search of him.

He knew she was there but he didn’t turn around, instead continuing to punch the bag relentlessly, trying to work through his frustration. She sat on a nearby bench and waited for him, watching him carefully. He finally stopped when the bag went flying across the floor, sand skidding out everywhere. He stood there breathing heavily, his hands by his sides and his head bowed.

Hating seeing him this way, Felicity got up and slowly walked over to him, sliding her arm around his waist and laying her head against his back. She didn’t care that he was hot and sweaty. She just wanted to give him some comfort, knowing he was not alright.

Steve turned then, encircling her with his arms and pulling her to him so that her head was against his chest. His heart was pounding fast and he was still breathing heavily, although more from emotion than from exertion. He didn’t say anything but instead stood silently holding her.

Felicity closed her eyes, feeling his pain as she stroked his back soothingly. When she heard his heart slow and his breathing return to normal, she finally looked up at his sad eyes. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“I’m not sure what there is to talk about.” Steve said sadly.

“You can tell me how you are feeling now,” she said gently.

“He was right there and so close but he chose to leave. I don’t think he’s here to hurt me but I’m not sure and I’m worried that he’ll try something and you and the baby will get hurt. I just don’t know what he wants.” Steve took a deep breath before letting it out.

Felicity gave him a small squeeze. “If he came all this way for you, then he’ll be back. I was right there by the side of the road and he didn’t try to get to me, so I don’t think he’s here to try to hurt me. We just need to wait for him to be ready to want to talk with you.”

Steve continued to stay silent as he held her. Eventually, he shifted a little. “I don’t like worrying about what he will do. All my life, I’ve trusted him and believed in him. That’s changed now and I don’t trust him wholeheartedly anymore. Especially not with you. I didn’t think I’d see the day that I wouldn’t believe in my friend. The last time when we were fighting, I still believed that I could get through to him, even if he had to kill me. But now, how could I consider taking the risk with you and the baby. I can’t lose either of you.”

“Steve, I don’t know Bucky but he’s your best friend. Somewhere in the recesses of his mind, he still remains the person you knew. That he didn’t kill you when he had the chance tells me that. So I’ll believe in him for you, if that’s what it takes. Give him time.” Felicity told him, her voice firm.

“And if we’re wrong and he’s been sent to hurt us?” Steve asked, his voice filled with pain.

“Then we do what we have always done. We deal with it and protect each other.” She said fiercely. “But it won’t come to that.”

He lifted her chin so he could search her eyes. When he saw that she truly believed what she was saying, he kissed her wanting to lose himself in her.

“Come on, let’s get this place cleaned up and then you need to shower. You’re all sweaty.” Felicity smiled up at him, giving him a quick kiss, before pushing him toward the mess he had made.

She knew that Steve was strong but Bucky was his weak point and caused him a lot more pain than he let on. Since they couldn’t do much but wait for Bucky to appear again, she didn’t want Steve dwelling on it, knowing how upset he would be.

_We’re all waiting,_ she realized. _Waiting for Slade to appear, waiting to figure out what he’s up to, waiting for news on Roy and now waiting to see what Bucky does_. _Guess I better be good at waiting._

* * *

Notes: Figured I’d post a day early since I won’t be able to do it tomorrow. This is very much a Felicity/ Steve centric chapter but for so many different reasons. There’s so much love and passion between them but there’s also a lot of fear. Yes, I know that they haven’t been together long, but Fate will do what she will with people’s lives and she tends to be mischievous, hence Felicity being pregnant. Let’s see how love, insecurities and dangerous situations start to play out, shall we? Hope you liked this chapter!


	30. Missing

 

“Have you heard from Digg at all?” Oliver asked. Felicity could see he was worried even though he was trying hard to hide it.

“No. When was the last time you spoke to him?” she asked, trying to recall her last conversation with Digg.

Oliver frowned. “A couple of days after he arrived in D.C. He didn’t have much time to talk and was just checking in with me before heading out.”

“Oliver. That would have been almost a week and a half ago. Why didn’t you call me sooner?” she asked frustrated.

“I didn’t know if he had to go silent. But it’s been too long and it’s unlike Digg not to try to get a message back to me.” Oliver said unrepentantly.

Felicity glared angrily at him. “I’ll call you back. I’m going to try to contact Sam and see if Digg said anything to him.” He nodded and she cut off the call.

“Do you want me to contact A.R.G.U.S.?” Maria asked from beside her.

Felicity wasn’t sure if that was a good idea. The Avengers didn’t really want to have anything to do with A.R.G.U.S. and she didn’t want to get involved with them unless it was absolutely necessary. “Let me call Sam first and we’ll see what he says,” she told Maria.

It turned out though that Sam had not seen Digg in more than a week. Digg had not told Sam much about what else he had discovered in D.C. except that he appeared worried. “He had wanted to Lyla to return home but she had refused. He didn’t say where he was going except he had to go dark. I assumed they couldn’t with it being an A.R.G.U.S. mission and all.” Sam said.

“Did he give any other indication as to why he had to go silent?” Felicity asked, starting to get really worried.

“No. But if he was under orders, he wouldn’t have been able to say anyway. Damn it! I wish I knew more. Look I’m going to go and try to find out more information. I’ll let you know if anything comes up.” Sam told her before cutting off the call.

Felicity sat there for a while, not sure what to do. She jumped when she heard Tony’s voice right next to her ear. “I don’t like statues. They give me the creeps.”

“Tony Stark! Can you clank when you’re near me? Or make a whirring metal noise? You’ll give me a heart attack one day!” Felicity glared at him, her hand over her heart.

“I can make kissy noises. Pretend I’m Rogers.” Tony teased. When she continued to glare at him, he held up his hands in mock surrender. “Smoakie, we can always take a trip to D.C. ourselves. Digg was there trying to follow up a lead on Deathstroke and if he’s missing because he found something, we know it’s serious enough.”

“We could do that?” Felicity asked, her face hopeful.

Tony grinned at her. “If I remember correctly, and I have an excellent memory, we were trying to figure out what H.I.V.E. and Mr Wilson were up to in D.C. Since he’s not coming to us, why don’t we go look for him?”

“Yes!” Felicity pumped her fist. “Okay. But you’re going to be the mouthpiece here. I’m not telling everyone that we’re going in search of trouble, again.”

“Fine. Get me in trouble then. I can handle it. I’m a big boy!” Tony gave her a silly smile as he told Jarvis to get everyone together.

 

*

“So, that your plan? To go find them? Where are we supposed to start?” Steve asked, unimpressed.

Tony looked at Felicity, his mouth an ‘O’ as he rolled his eyes. Felicity shook her head quickly at him.

“We should contact A.R.G.U.S.” Maria said, sending Felicity a look to not say anything. “They would have an idea where we could start and they could use our help.”

Clint crossed his arms, considering Maria’s proposal. “They may not like us getting involved.”

Maria shook her head. “They had a problem with S.H.I.E.L.D., not us. They may accept our help.”

“And we have the muscle.” Tony piped up.

“I don’t like it. Why D.C.? What’s in D.C.? I don’t want Felicity there, not with the baby coming and all.” Steve asked, worried about what the answer would be.

“Steve, I’ll be fine. Besides, I’m not going out in the field. This is purely a fact finding mission. And we need to find Digg.” Felicity was adamant about not being left out of everything, regardless of whether she was pregnant or not.

“Well, we won’t find out by sitting around here. When do we leave?” Natasha asked. Turning to Steve, she tried to reassure him. “Steve, I think all of us will make sure Felicity and the baby will not come to any harm. We’ll do whatever it takes.” She needed him to believe that she wouldn’t be taking any chances with their lives and it would be different from the time they had tried to trap Deathstroke.

Tony turned to Bruce. “Doc, where are you on your miracle cure?”

Bruce shrugged. “I’ve made some adjustments, but with nothing tested, I can’t be sure.”

“Bring it with you cos’ you coming too. I’m not leaving you here so you can party by your lonesome.” Tony got up. “Hill, call A.R.G.U.S. We have to get this show on the road. And somebody get that hairy Asgardian to make an appearance.”

 

*

“I’m coming too.” Oliver said, his face stubborn.

Felicity groaned. “Oliver, don’t you need to be at Starling City? What would you be able to do to help? We’ll call you if we find out anything.”

Oliver refused to listen to anything she had to say. “I am not leaving this to you. If Digg is in trouble, I need to be there.”

“I have to tell Tony that you are coming. He’s not going to like it.” Felicity didn’t even know what Tony would do, but she figured she wasn’t going to like the response.

“Do you think I care? Call me back.” He cut the call, leaving Felicity staring at a blank screen.

“Oh, we are back to this now are we, Oliver Queen? When I call you back, I’ll tell you just what you can do with yourself!” she jabbed the screen furiously.

“I suppose I should be worried you are having a conversation with a blank screen.” Natasha said from behind her.

Felicity let out a little screech as she turned around to look at Natasha. “Can you please make some noise! Geez. What is it with everyone sneaking up on me today?”

Natasha just looked at her, her eyebrow cocked. “Okay, Felicity. I’ll make sure you hear my footsteps next time. Wouldn’t want to shock my friend to death.”

“Thank you. That’s all I ask. And I usually don’t scare…. Wait! What did you say? Friend? You consider me a friend?” Felicity jumped up and grabbed Natasha’s hand.

“If I had known that this was the way you were going to react, I might have held my tongue.” Natasha huffed although there was a small smile on her face.

“Sorry. I just got excited.” Felicity smiled at her happily, spreading her hands wide.

Natasha snorted with amusement. “So, Oliver Queen wants to join us in D.C. When are you going to let Stark know?”

“Guess now would be a good time?” Felicity wasn’t exactly looking forward to talking to Tony about it.

“Come on. I’ll go with you. I might even be able to come up with a good excuse.” Nat said as she walked away.

 

*

“Sure. Loverboy can join us if he wants.” Tony’s voice came out muffled, his head under a stack of wires and cables.

That wasn’t exactly the response Felicity was expecting so she tried again, thinking she heard wrong. “I mean, he will probably be coming to stay with us too. I think.”

“Well, I’ll just have to make sure we have enough room then. Or he will have to bunk with someone. Is the Canary coming too?” He asked, poking his head out to look at her.

Bewildered, Felicity looked at Natasha who just shrugged. “Tony, let me get this straight. You have no problem with Oliver coming to D.C.? Or staying with us? Or working on the team? Or anything else?

“Nope. Nope. Nope and Nope.” Tony grinned back at her before ducking back under a cable.

“I am not even going to ask why.” She walked off in a daze so that she could call Oliver back.

When she disappeared around the corner, Natasha turned to Tony. “So Stark. What was that all about? And don’t tell me it was nothing.”

“He might come in handy.” Tony told her as he tugged on a cable, before trying to solder the wires together.

“Handy?” Natasha asked, giving him a look.

“Yup. And Wilson just might take the bait.” Tony looked at her smiling. Natasha shook her head in disgust and walked off.

 

*

“I’m not sure if I’m happy about this.” Steve said when Felicity told him Oliver was joining them.

“I can’t tell him not to because he won’t listen. And Tony has agreed to it which makes it worse.” Felicity was trying to figure out what to pack. This was the one time she wished she had a uniform because then she wouldn’t really need to think about appropriate attire for a mission.

“Since when does anyone listen to what Tony has to say?” Steve asked, watching her as she walked around their bedroom.

Felicity looked up from the pile of clothes she was rifling through. “Since it’s his house we are all staying in.” She walked over and sat beside him. “What exactly are you not happy about?”

“Too many things.” Steve answered.

She poked him in the chest. “Wrong answer. You need to elaborate.”

“He doesn’t follow orders and Slade has a personal vendetta against him.” Steve said slowly.

“Nothing new. And? I know there’s more.” She cocked her eyebrow at him and when he didn’t reply, she sighed. “Are you going to tell me you’re still worried about him and me?”

Steve shook his head. “Not really. I just don’t want to have to deal with Oliver being upset at seeing us together. And I’m guessing that he doesn’t know about the baby. I hope that since he’s back with Sara, things are working out for the both of them. Because I don’t want to have to sit him down for another talk about it’s none of his business when it comes to you, me or our child.”

“Oliver should have dealt with seeing us as a couple by now and you’re right that our child is none of his concern. He’ll be more concerned about Digg and he’s an extra man on board if we get into trouble. And you always get yourself into trouble.” Felicity rubbed his chest teasingly.

Steve laughed and gave her a quick kiss. “Go pack. And stop fretting about what to wear. I can always bring an extra shirt for you to sleep in. I’m guessing you’ll look extra sexy in it.”

“Do you now? What other little fantasies have you had? Maybe I can make them come true.” Felicity pushed her hands under his shirt so she could touch his abs, skirting over the top of his pants.

He sucked in a quick breath and grabbed her hand. “Sweetheart, unless you want to finish packing tomorrow morning right before we leave, I would suggest you keep your hands to yourself. At least till you finish what you need to do. Otherwise, I can’t promise we will ever leave this bed.”

“Is that a promise?” She asked slyly.

He tried to keep a straight face although he failed badly. “Most definitely a promise.” He laughed as she jumped him.

 

*

“For a person who has a Master’s Degree in Cyber Security and Computer Sciences from MIT, I’m amazed that you cannot remember what we call this. It’s call a Quinjet! Not the Avengers Jet!” Tony was agitated and nobody could figure out why.

“Well technically, it is the Avengers Jet. Fine, the Avengers Quinjet then. Because you modified it and it’s larger than the other jets, it’s wings are different and there’s a lot more tech onboard.” Felicity stuck her chin out, not ready to give in to Tony’s mercurial moods.

“Stark, what is going on with you?” Steve didn’t like how Tony was taking things out on Felicity.

Natasha interrupted. “He’s just upset because he didn’t manage to say goodbye to Pepper. Let him sulk for a bit and he’ll get over it.”

Felicity grinned at Steve before going to sit with Tony. “Ok. Tell me what you tinkered with.”

Steve shook his head exasperated as he listened to Tony tell Felicity all about his little adjustments. “We have a better cloaking device now and the wings fold inwards so that it can get into the launch pad at the Tower. Better weapons and defences too….”

Maria and Clint came over to sit with Steve. “We’ve heard back from Waller. Some members of the Squad was sent in on a mission and were supposed to have reported back a few days ago. She received a one word text from a member of the Squad and after that, there has been no other contact.”

“What was the word?” Steve asked

Maria looked at Clint before saying “Mole.”

“What the hell does that mean?” Tony asked a little later after he had been briefed.

“It could mean that they have a mole within the organization. Maybe it’s a last name. Or it’s an acronym. Could be a codename.” Felicity was speed searching various options, pulling out information that seemed viable for them to look at.

“That’s a lot of information to go through when we have no idea what we are looking for.” Clint said as he looked at what Felicity was bringing up on her screen.

“Guess we better start looking at everything now then.” Nat said started swiping at information on a tablet. “Cap, get your ass over here cos’ I know for sure you aren’t going to be able to figure out how to access this information yourself.”

 

*

They were back at Tony’s house in D.C. and this time, there was equipment everywhere. Bruce had taken over Tony’s workspace and that left them to find alternate areas to set up their tech screens and weapons. With more people in the house, they were all going to be in each other’s space a lot more.

Tony had helped Felicity set up her workspace in record time and she was collating separate files on the options that had been shortlisted for everyone to go through. Their hope was that something would either look familiar or that they would make some kind of association to a mission or information they covered in the past.

It was late afternoon by the time Oliver arrived with Sara. Felicity gave them both a quick hug, having missed them both, especially Oliver. He gave her a small smile before greeting everyone else. Not wanting to waste time, he asked her to give him an update as to what they had discovered so far. Since Oliver and Sara were the two people who knew the most about how Slade thought, she made sure to give them a tablet with a whole list of files to browse through. She hoped that they might zero in on a strategy that Slade might take or a word, place or person that he might have mentioned before.

“This is getting us nowhere.” Clint said after a while. “A mole could be anything. As far as I’m concerned, it’s just some stupid animal that digs holes and tunnels underground, making a huge mess of everything. They drive me crazy!”

“Now where would you have seen moles? From some high perch?” Tony asked tiredly.

Clint didn’t answer, choosing to stand up and stretch instead.

Steve suddenly remembered something. “Did you know that in the late 1870’s there was an underground subway system called the Mole Way. I heard stories about it as a kid where people would visit D.C. and try to get into the collapsed tunnels that had been closed down. It had quite a few stops, even ones near the White House, the Capitol and other popular places.”

“Tunnels?” Felicity asked, quickly typing in as search. What popped up was a whole slew of information of secret and not so secret tunnels in D.C. “Oh wow! I never knew all this even existed,” she said, staring at the screen.

“Do you think this is what mole meant?” Sara asked.

“Well, D.C. does have a complex hidden underground city, linked by tunnels, especially to extremely important buildings. And if H.I.V.E. wanted to hide an army, what better way than for it to be underground, in tunnels that were closed a long time ago.” Clint said, looking at the screens with a frown on his face.

Steve looked worried. “The question is if this is their plan, who are they going to attack and how do we find them?”

Everyone was silent as they looked at each other. A.R.G.U.S. wasn’t any help and they weren’t sure if Digg and Lyla were in trouble. With not much to go on, they weren’t exactly sure what they were supposed to do now. The underground system was too complex and perhaps inaccessible. They needed a plan but no one had any ideas. Yet.


	31. A Different Kind of Incredible

                                                                     

 

 

Steve awoke to Felicity having a nightmare. Crying out, she thrashed around before curling into a ball, sobbing. “Felicity, wake up. You’re dreaming. Shhh… wake up sweetheart.” He stroked her hair as he gently shook her. She jerked awake, looking around wildly and on seeing him, she curled into him trembling. “Shh… you’re safe.” He held her to him as he stroked her back, kissing her hair gently as he soothed her.

They lay like that for a while before Felicity shifted, burying her nose in Steve neck. “I haven’t had that nightmare for a while now,” she said softly.

“What do you dream about?” Steve asked as he tucked her closer protectively.

“The lair collapsing around me and being pinned by a beam with no one coming to help me.” Her voice wavered a bit as she replied.

Steve frowned not liking the sound of that at all. “Is this recurring nightmare a memory?”

She looked up him then, shaking her head a little. “Yes and no. I was in the lair when the earthquakes happened in Starling and the ceiling and walls were collapsing around me when I was on comms. I wasn’t trapped though.”

Steve sighed. “So this talk of tunnels and the underground is bringing back memories in your subconscious. I’m sorry, sweetheart.”

“It’s not your fault, Steve. And I haven’t had this nightmare in a long time. I thought I was over it.” She said as she looked at him with a small smile. “Maybe it’s having you here. I feel safe like nothing can happen to me.”

“Good,” he said, kissing her softly. He curled a leg around her as he told her, “try to go back to sleep.”

Felicity lay quietly for a while before asking him. “Why haven’t you been able to sleep these last few nights?”

“I didn’t know you noticed.” Steve sighed. “I’ve been thinking about Bucky and if he’s still in New York.”

“I have a feeling he’ll find you wherever you are.” Felicity said as she stroked his chest. “Tony and I have set things up so that if he approaches the tower, we will get an alert.”

Steve didn’t think Bucky would try to enter the tower and he told her so. “He’ll wait because that is what he’s good at. I just hope that when I see him again, it will be nothing like the last time we met.”

“It won’t be. Now you try to sleep.” she told him as she stroked his forehead. She continued to gently brush her hands over his forehead till she heard his breathing even out. Only then did she snuggle closer and close her eyes herself.

 

*

“It’s ridiculous that there are this many tunnels in D.C. Everyone practically lives underground. Look, they have convenience stores and personal train systems. They even have fast food stores. And let’s not even go with directional signage.” Felicity said as she scrolled through everything she had pulled up on underground tunnels.

“They have to. They can’t build up so they must build down. Even S.H.I.E.L.D. built their Helicarriers below ground. Can you imagine how complex the underground system is here with the number of bunkers and other secret facilities? There’s probably a lot more down there that is not public knowledge.” Clint said.

Natasha nodded. “I’m sure there have tunnels that link the White House, Capitol Hill, the Pentagon, FBI, CIA and probably more. But Deathstroke will not be hiding there. It’s too well guarded”

“Their bunkers would be secure vaults. No one could get through. Same with some of the tunnels.” Sam said. He had spent the morning listening open mouthed to what was being discussed and couldn’t believe it.

Oliver wasn’t sure he believed they were on the right track. “We are assuming that this is what ‘mole’ means. It could be something else. And I still don’t see how we are able to use this to find Digg. And how is this all related to Deathstroke? Has Waller shared any more information with us?”

Maria shook her head. “Nothing yet.”

Tony turned to look at Bruce. “Doc, what have you been cooking in my kitchen?”

“You mean in your lab?” Bruce asked, more for everyone else’s benefit. “I’ve been working on trying to see if I can track any gamma rays within the area. We need to get our hands on more spectrometers though as one is not enough.”

“What if the machine is below ground? Can you still trace the gamma radiation?” Natasha asked.

Bruce nodded. “It will depend on how deep the machine is. Gamma rays can travel through solids up to a certain density. So if it’s being shielded by special material, then no, we won’t be able to trace it.”

Steve was confused. “If gamma rays are so dangerous, why would someone try to use it?”

“It depends on what it is used for.” Bruce said with a small smile, understanding the irony of the situation. “It’s not that rare. We use it all the time in hospitals for cancer treatment, for sterilization of instruments and to trace brain and heart abnormalities. Engineers use it to find cracks in pipes and airplane parts since it can pass through certain densities and doesn’t require air to travel. But it also has unstable radioactive elements and if when used, it releases greater levels that what I mentioned, then yes, it becomes more dangerous. If Deathstroke is using it with the machine for the transfusions of Mirakuru, it becomes way more dangerous. But the levels are still relatively small. It will be hard for me to trace.

“How about a cure for Mirakuru? Where are you on that?” Oliver asked.

“Well, I’ve made some changes to the original anti-serum and I’m hoping it’s stronger so that the soldiers will stay down longer. But I can’t test it so we are just going to have to wait and see what happens when we use it. I’m hoping that at least the effects will last longer.”

“We know how to kill them now too. Shoot them in the head!” Natasha said coldly.

“If we can cure them, then we shouldn’t kill them. Doc, we need to work on a cure.” Steve really didn’t want to take lives, especially since he wasn’t convinced that the soldiers were totally aware of what they were doing.

“I’ll continue working on it.” Bruce said before making his way down to his makeshift lab. “You guys keep looking for the mole.”

 

*

Felicity had not had a chance to talk to Sara, so when an opportunity came, she quickly grabbed her, pulling her outside so they could get some sun. “How are you? Are your ribs all healed?” she asked, giving Sara a sunny smile.

“Almost all better. It hurt something good in the beginning though.” Sara said, wincing just to think about it. “How is life in New York?” She was curious, not having had the advantage of as many video calls as Oliver.

“I like it there a lot. It’s different but a good different.” In fact Felicity loved it but she didn’t want to rub it in Sara’s face. “How are the both of you holding up by yourselves?” she asked cautiously.

“Oliver misses you. And he’s been extra broody without you around.” Sara told her honestly.

Felicity tried to brush it off. “He misses Digg too.”

“Yes, but Digg is coming back. I don’t think you are. And that’s affected him. More than you know.” Sara said honestly, her face sad.

Felicity didn’t know what to say. She had thought that things would have been better between Oliver and Sara now that they were back together, but the way Sara was talking, she could hear a trace of sadness to Sara’s words. “He may miss me, but he’ll get used to me not being around. And he has you to help him. He loves you and you are the one that he really needs.”

Sara looked her straight in the eye. “I’m not so sure about that, Felicity. And the kind of love that he has for me is very different from the way he loves you.”

Felicity sighed at that. She wasn’t sure if Oliver had said something or Sara had just been astute. “Is everything alright between you and Oliver?” she asked gently.

“As good as it can be. He’s trying and I’ve agreed to try too. But I’m not sure if we are both settling or if it’s better if we both go in search of what we really want.” Sara paused. “I know you probably won’t be coming back. You look happy with Steve and you seem to get along well with the rest of the Avengers. I don’t want you to feel badly about what is going on in Starling City.”

Felicity nodded and hugged Sara. They may not have been close but Felicity thought of her as a friend. She wished Sara well and hoped that at least Oliver and her would be able to find their way together.

 

*

“Where are we going?” Felicity asked Natasha, clutching the car seat as Nat swerved around another car. “And are we going to arrive alive? I have plans tonight. Big plans and I need to be alive to go to them.” She let out another screech as Nat skidded around a bend.

Nat glanced at her amused. “Don’t trust my driving? You’ve been in a shootout and had a sword to your throat, but you think this is how you will go? By me driving?”

Felicity grimaced. “Yes. When it comes to you, anything could happen.”

“So little faith Smoak.” She said with a smile, checking her review mirror, she turned on another street before slamming on the brakes. “We’re here.” She announced.

Felicity got out quickly and looking around. “Where are we?”

“We’re getting you a present, for Steve.” Natasha said pulling her towards a shop.

Felicity looked up and planted her feet. “Oh no. We are not going in there.” she said wide eyed.

“What? You think Steve can’t handle it?” Nat asked with a wicked smile on her face. “Or it’s you who can’t handle it?”

Felicity lifted her chin at Natasha’s challenge. “Oh I can handle it. I’ve just never been to such a fancy lingerie store before?”

“Well I have. And we are going to get you less vanilla. Besides, you both are wound up so tight, we need you both getting some fun in.” Natasha said, pulling her inside.

“I’ll have you know I’m not vanilla.” Felicity said a few minutes later as Natasha pulled some bras and panties off the rack, showing them to her. “But, I’m not paying that much for a tiny strip of material.”

“Where’s your sense of adventure, Smoak?” Nat said, holding out a particularly transparent lacy number to her.

“Have I ever told you how much I hate you?” Felicity asked as she grabbed the hanger from her. “I’ll pick up something I like.” she said as she browsed other racks.

Natasha smirked at her. “Just make sure it has lots of holes in it.” She managed a small laugh when Felicity looked over at her with a mortified expression on her face.

By the time they left the shop, Felicity had bought more than a few things, planning to wear at least one of them after her dinner with Steve that evening.

 

*

“Where are we?” Felicity asked as she looked around the little cabin. It was beautiful and the woods outside were equally lovely. Set in a secluded area, the log cabin afforded them the privacy they wanted for dinner since no one knew that the Avengers were in town yet.

“It’s just a little place I found with Natasha’s help.” He smiled at her as he carried bags of food to the little kitchenette.

“We didn’t have to come so far out here for dinner.” She laughed even though she knew they were probably staying the night. He had asked her to pack a small overnight bag, as mysterious as usual about the place they were heading to. She was beginning to love how he always liked to surprise her.

Steve hugged her to him. “I wanted us to have some time alone. There were too many people in the house and I couldn’t get much time to just be with you.”

Wrapping her arms around him, she lay her head against his chest. “Hmm. Then this was a great idea. I’ve missed you too.”

“Let’s go for a walk. I can hear the river nearby and it’s still light out.” He pulled her towards the door and she was thankful she was wearing flats since he had told her to go casual. Heels and a nice dress would not have been welcome in this environment. But he could always carry her. She loved it when he did and she giggled to think of it.

“What’s so funny now?” He asked, putting his arm around her shoulder so he could pull her close to his side.

She gave him a cheeky grin. “I’m imagining all the ways you can carry me around here, just like you did when we went hiking the last time.”

Steve grinned at her mischievously and she shrieked when she found herself suddenly lifted in the air before being cradled to his chest. “Steve Rogers. Some warning would be nice.” She laughed breathlessly before kissing his chest, letting him know she wasn’t in the least upset.

He walked them over to the river where he found a log that he could sit on, placing her on his lap where she could rest her cheek against his. “Comfy?” he asked.

“Very.” She said almost purring as she nuzzled his face.

He turned his head a little, nipping at her lips till she opened them for him. He licked across her lips slowly, teasing her with a small smile until she became too impatient and pulled his head closer, her hands in his hair. “We’re supposed to be enjoying this beautiful view.” He breathed as he buried his nose in her hair.

“I was till you nicely distracted me.” Felicity nestled closer and looked back out onto the water, lulled by the soft sound and comforted being in his arms. “I like this place. It’s so beautiful here, and peaceful,” she told him.

He gently kissed her forehead. “You don’t miss not having any of your technology around you? There’s no internet here.”

“Oh I’m sure that we can find a solution for that. But for today, I’m quite alright not being with my tablet.” She wanted him all to herself today with no interruptions for either of them. She figured that they both deserved it and she wanted to give him his present.

 

*

Steve had packed a small feast for them which had already been cooked and just needed to be reheated. She had smiled when she saw he had also packed sparkling juice for them which he had prompted chilled. When she had told him that he should have brought something for himself, he told her that if she couldn’t drink alcohol, then neither would he.

After dinner, they lay together on the couch enjoying the fireplace. She remembered watching him as he chopped wood for the fire, enjoying the play of his muscles under his shirt. He had winked at her heated looks, but had refused to come closer, maybe knowing she would have gladly jumped him. Now she had free reign to stroke his chest, sneaking her fingers inside his shirt so she could touch his skin.

He chuckled as he grabbed her hand. “Sweetheart, you just can’t keep your hands off me, can you?”

She pouted as she tried to tuck her hand back under his shirt. “Why should I? You’re mine to touch. And I love touching you.” She grinned up at him as she managed to tug a corner out, sliding a hand over the hard planes of his stomach.

He moved gently away from her a little and gave her a quick kiss when he saw her lips tilt down. “Felicity, I want to talk to you about something first.” he told her as he stroked a finger across her lips, his eyes darkening.

When she tilted her head at him curious as to what he had to say, he seemed to give himself a mental shake, trying to keep himself on track.

“I always forget myself when I look at you. You are just so beautiful to me.” he said as he softly kissed her, pulling away before she could deepen the kiss. “And now that you are carrying our baby, I think my life has finally found a way to come full circle. I count my blessings every day that you are a part of my life. And I want you to know that I would never have it any other way. Not only have you accepted me for the man that I really am, you’ve shown me what kind of man and father that I really would like to become. I never thought I would ever be able to live this life, but now I want it more than you could ever know. And with you in it, it’s just more than perfect.”

She caressed his face, her eyes loving as she smiled at his words, remembering all the times he had told her how lost he had been. He turned his face and kissed her wrist, feeling her warm hand on his cheek. Getting off the couch, he got on the floor in front of her, burying his face in her chest as she wrapped her arms around him.

“I love you with all my heart. Do you know that?” He asked, his voice slightly muffled from where he was, listening to her heart.

She nodded, then softly said yes when she realized he couldn’t see her. Shifting his head to her stomach, he kissed it gently, smiling as he lay his head there, as if listening to his child. She stroked his hair, relaxing into the moment. She had been so afraid at first at the thought of being pregnant but now, it just seemed right, carrying Steve’s child, knowing that she loved him, child or not.

It took him a while before he finally lifted his head, giving her stomach another small kiss before looking up at her from where he was kneeling. Pulling out a little box, he opened it with his hands trembling slightly. She gasped when she saw the beautiful diamond ring with a timeless filigree art deco design sparkling as it lay nestled in the velvet cloth. “Felicity Smoak, will you do me the honour of becoming my wife? I never ever want to imagine my life without you anymore. If fate has brought us together and has now given us a child, I cannot imagine why we should ever be apart. I love you so much, more than you could ever know. Will you marry me?” he asked as he looked up at her, his eyes both hopeful yet uncertain and a little fearful that she would say no.

He didn’t have to worry though as she pulled him up immediately so that he was face to face with her. Looking him with tears in her eyes and her heart bursting with love, she couldn’t help the little wobble in her voice. “Yes. I love you so much, Steve Rogers. So yes!”

He let out the breath he was holding in a rush and took her hand gently as he slipped the ring on, kissing her hand after. Taking her face in his hands, he kissed her till she was breathless, finally pulling away slightly so he could look at her. “Thank you. For loving me and accepting me for all that I am. For giving me so much. I won’t ever let you down and I’ll love you forever and always.”

The intensity in his eyes made her heart soar and she leaned over to lick his lips again, locking her arms around his neck as he lifted her up, intending on carrying her to the bedroom. She shook her head. “Let’s stay by the fire awhile. I love it here.” she told him and he smiled as he grabbed some blankets and managed to spread them on the floor with some cushions, even while holding her in his arms.

Laying her gently down on the makeshift bed, he pulled her flush to him, rolling her slightly as he leaned over to look at her. The firelight bathed her in a golden glow he took the time to look at her, running his fingers wherever his eyes roamed.

He stared at her like she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen before he dipped his head again, this time kissing his way across her jaw time, to her ear, across her cheek till he found her lips, already swollen from his kisses.

Kissing down her front, he bit her nipple through the front of her top, making her hiss as she jerked up. She grabbed his hips and pulled him up so that she could feel him, already hard, as he pressed against her heat. But it wasn’t enough and she pulled at his pants, sending him a message to take them off and fast.

It didn’t take them long to discard their clothes and Steve kissed his way between the valley of her breasts, before taking time to give each of them the love they deserved. When he reached her belly, he lay his head there for a while before laying tender butterfly kisses all over. She giggled as he rubbed his nose over her stomach, before sliding his tongue out and dragging it down to her hip. She gave a little mewl as his hand slid up her thigh to cup her heat, putting a little pressure on it as he nipped at her hip. She tried to grind into his hand as he rubbed soft circles with his palm before fingering her clit.

Pushing her legs apart, he dipped one little finger in partially to test her and came away with his fingers slick. “You’re already so wet.” He circled her nub with his tongue, sucking on it as she writhed around, panting little cries as she pressed him closer. His tongue danced over her silky folds as he slid two fingers in, crooking them till she screamed, her body arching off the floor. He continued to torment her with his tongue and fingers, alternatively sucking on her and rocking his fingers in and out, the sensation building quickly within her till she exploded screaming, her juices seeping out as he licked her.

“Oh my God!” she said as she lay limp on the blanket, reaching up for him. He laughed as he sat up and lifted her above him, sliding her down till he was seated fully within her. She moaned into his mouth as he thrust up, his hand moving to her ass so that he could help rock her. Felicity held on to him tightly, their lips constantly seeking each other as he moved her above him, his moans as loud as hers. It was the right angle as every movement gave friction in the right place and soon she was coming again, calling out his name with wild abandon as her muscles clamped down on him thrusting up into her.

She whimpered when he moved her so that she was back on the blanket, missing him. Lifting one leg up above his shoulder, he plunged back in till she took his entire length and he rubbed her clit as he thrust in powerfully, his moans becoming louder. She didn’t think she could come again as she was exhausted, but her clit was already sensitive and swollen, and he seemed to be working magic with every roll he took across her swollen nub in time with each thrust. She could feel him swelling larger within her and it sent spasms of pleasure throughout her till she felt like she couldn’t handle it anymore. She felt him lose time with his thrusts and his cries were what sent her over the edge, a mini orgasm shooting through her as she flung her head back, her back bowed as he slammed into her one last time. He came with a hoarse shout as he emptied himself into her, his hands pushing her ass up so that he bury himself deeper, her walls quivering around him.

He collapsed on top of her and she wound her arms and legs around him, not wanting the warmth of his body to leave hers. So instead, he rolled them to the side and pulled a small blanket over them, not worrying about the cold as they were right next to the fire.

This time she rolled him onto his back so she could lean over him, giving him as soft kiss as she looked down at him, her hair trailing across his chest and shoulders. “That was incredible. You’re incredible.” She told him as she nuzzled his neck.

“I think you’re talking about the wrong person here.” He smiled up at her, curling a strand of her hair around his fingers before tucking it behind her ear. “The woman I love, who has just agreed to marry me and who is carrying my child is the one that is incredible. I think I’m the luckiest man alive and so grateful that you will have me.”

Felicity smiled at him. “I wouldn’t have any other. Remember, I told you that you are my heart. I mean that more than ever now.”

Moving his hands to her waist, he smiled happily up at her. “So, future Mrs Rogers, let me show you how much I adore you. Do you want to stay by the fire or shall we get to a comfy bed?”

“Bed.” She grinned at him, remembering the present she had gotten just for him, nicely packed in her overnight bag. “I have something for you that I’ll think you’ll like.”

 

 

* * *

Notes: I absolutely loved writing this chapter. It was huge and there were so many important things going on. Still, it was a ton of fun to write and fascinating to research and I ended it with a huge smile on my face. I hope you enjoyed the chapter and hopefully managed to bring a smile to you too.


	32. Limits

 

Oliver was the first to see the ring. It wasn’t something he usually looked for, but in Felicity’s case, he knew so many of her facial nuances that he wanted to know the reason behind her glow when she walked through the door.

He felt his heart plummet a little when he saw it sparkling on her finger and he quickly turned his back, wanting to mask the pain he was feeling.

“So, how did the present you bought Steve turn out?” Natasha asked, her voice teasing.

Felicity laughed. “Very well. He definitely liked it.”

“I can see that since you came back with something on your finger. So you know, I helped him set it up. You had better thank me too.” Natasha said with a smirk.

Amused, Felicity held up her hand to show Natasha the ring. “Thank you Nat. And yes, he proposed.”

“I was wondering what took him so long. We all had a bet going to see how many hours he lasted before he popped the question. He surprised us all by waiting this long.” Natasha said with a smile.

Steve walked up to the both of them and gave Felicity a hug from behind, his hand moving to cover her belly protectively. “I wanted to propose the right way since I’m only going to be doing it once. And I wanted it to be special,” he said as he gently kissed Felicity’s neck.

Natasha laughed at the both of them. “Sure Steve. You know, you forgot to ask one very important person first though.”

“I did? Who?” Steve asked confused.

“Her mother, silly.” Nat said grinning.

It was Steve’s turn to look smug. “I already asked her.”

Felicity turned to look up at him with surprise. “When did you ask my mother?”

“When we were in Vegas. I wanted to ask her in person because I knew that sooner or later, I would propose to you. I’m just happy that she wasn’t upset with me, knowing how we haven’t been together that long.” Steve remembered how nervous he had been that Donna Smoak would say no.

Felicity smiled happily as she kissed him. “Why am I not surprised that you already asked her? And so you know, my mother was all over you. How could she say no to having you become part of the family? I’m just shocked that she didn’t try to drag us somewhere to get married right then and there, it being Vegas and all.”

Steve smiled as he pulled her closer. “I will be honest. I was worried you would say no. You’ve told me that you wanted us to take our time together. I don’t want you to think that I’m just proposing to you because you are with our child. I love you and I can’t imagine being with anyone else. I said you were it for me and I meant it. But I want our child to come into the world with us as a proper family. From when I remember, the people I knew got married within months knowing that they were going away to war. Knowing that that they had a loving wife and family to come back to kept them going. I very much feel the same way.”

“Steve, I may be a modern woman in many ways but family is very important to me. I want our child to have a family too. I love you. And because it’s you, I have no doubts. I never thought I would have someone like you in my life either and I think I’ve known for a while now that it’ll always be you that I want. It amazes me just as much that you would want me.” Felicity smiled remembering how her life had been so different months earlier. Things had changed, but for the better and she couldn’t imagine it any other way anymore.

He grabbed her and kissed her hard till she had to push him away laughing, pointing at Natasha, who just shook her head at them. “I’m going to check on what’s the latest with Maria,” Felicity said as she turned to see Oliver standing in the doorway, his face pained.

“Do you mind if I talk to you for a minute?” he asked her before glancing at Steve.

Steve gave Felicity a quick kiss and sent Oliver a warning look before making his way over to where Clint and Sam were chatting.

Oliver had heard the entire conversation. _She’s pregnant._ He closed his eyes for a moment, allowing himself to feel the pain and wondered if everyone else knew but him. He opened his eyes to see her standing in front of him, her eyes worried. “You’re getting married?” he managed to grind out.

Felicity looked up at him, her expression gentle. “Yes, Steve and I are getting married.”

“Is there are reason you are suddenly getting married?” he asked, his voice hard. Even though he already knew, he wanted to hear it from her and his muscles tensed as he waited for her response.

She blinked slowly, her head tilted as she looked up at him. “I’m pregnant.” She watched his face fall as he let out a pained sigh. “Oliver, what is it that you are doing?”

“I thought for the longest time that we were just friends. Good friends. I didn’t want to admit that you meant more than that to me and I pushed you away, thinking that I couldn’t be Oliver Queen and the Arrow. I didn’t want you to be in danger and I thought I didn’t deserve you because I couldn’t be the man you would want me to be. Felicity, I’m just waiting for my time, when it will be me. And if I have already given up on the man that I am, who was I to even think I could have you in my life?” Oliver’s paused and Felicity became unnerved when he just stared at her silently. She was about to say something when he started speaking again.

“When you found Steve, I think that’s when it hit me. You found someone much better than me, someone who was deserving of your love. I couldn’t believe it. Maybe I just didn’t want to believe it. I thought what I was feeling would pass but then I saw how serious you both were about each other. And when you said you were leaving with him, I didn’t know how much it would hurt to have to let you go, to have to see you with someone else. And now you’re telling me you’re getting married because you are pregnant with his child. Do you really want to know what I would like to do, Felicity?” Oliver was as tense as she had ever seen him, a vein at his temple throbbing as he tried to control his emotions.

Felicity looked at him tearfully, her throat becoming dry as she steeled herself for what she knew she needed to say to him. “Oliver, before I left, you told me that you were moving on with Sara. We talked about how you would try to find happiness for yourself, even when I wasn’t there. I can no longer be the woman that you love, Oliver. Our time has come and gone from choice that you admit you made. You cannot just turn around now and tell me these things. What are you expecting me to do?” Her chest heaved and she took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.

“Oliver, you are supposed to be with Sara, the woman you claim you love too. You even chose to be with her after telling me that you could never be with someone you cared about. I’ve seen you both together and I know how deeply you care for her. And she is right here standing by your side and supporting you.” Felicity watched as Oliver struggled with his feelings, his expression intense as he looked down at her.

Felicity didn’t realize that her hand had lifted a little, wanting to smooth away his pain. She clenched her hands by her side, hating herself for what she was about to say to him. But she needed to say this because she couldn’t allow him to say these things to her anymore. “I’m marrying Steve because I love him. I would have said yes regardless of whether I’m carrying his child or not because I know he is the one I want to be with. You need to let me go live my life with him. I’m sorry that you have realized some things now but I’m also guessing that you have other feelings that you are burying. You need to figure things out and I’m not going to be the one to help you. But first, you need to decide to either be with Sara or let her go because I will not come between the two of you. Oliver, I don’t want to be a woman that you love. I can’t be.”

It was then that she turned her back, her footsteps faltering as she closed her eyes momentarily, before walking away from him. She didn’t want to see the expression on his face as he swallowed hard on the lump that had formed in his throat. She knew if he carried on this way, she would have a hard time keeping him as a friend, no matter how much she loved Oliver Queen. _I have to find a way to make this work,_ she thought to herself looking over towards Natasha.

“Great going Felicity, telling a man that you don’t want to be a woman that he loves. He looks like a kicked puppy,” Natasha said as she tilted her head towards Oliver.

Felicity narrowed her eyes. “How did you know what I said? Were you lip reading again? Oh, nevermind.” She threw up her hands in exasperation. “I need your help.”

“Help to do what?” Natasha asked, now curious.

Felicity sighed, hoping that her plan would work and that she wouldn’t regret this. “To get Oliver to realize how much he actually loves Sara.”

Natasha shook her head at her. “Oh Smoak. I don’t even want to know how you expect me to do that. But seeing that expression on your face, I’m guessing I’m going to need to use some of my skills.”

Natasha watched Oliver thoughtfully before deciding to talk to him, her eyes as hard as his as he watched her approach. “You really need to back off. While it’s admirable that you’ve finally decided to speak from your heart, your timing is all wrong. Look at the both of them together and tell me that you really think she will come back to you. Every time you say these things to her, it just hurts the both of you more. Not only you, but Steve and that girlfriend of yours too. I’m warning you, I don’t like to see my friends hurt. I won’t repeat myself again. And I suggest you do some serious thinking because it looks like you haven’t done enough.”

Oliver silently scrutinized her for a minute before gruffly responding. “I will.”

 

*

“Congratulations!” Sara gave Felicity a hug when she heard about Steve’s proposal and news of the baby. “Although, Felicity, I must say you do work fast.”

“It wasn’t planned.” Felicity smiled at her, knowing Sara didn’t mean it in a bad way. “I mean the baby wasn’t planned. I’m sure Steve planned the proposal. He’s good with the details. Maybe as good as me.” She thought about it for a minute. “Nah. Not as good as me.”

“Well, you two are very cute together.” Sara smiled with amusement.

“Yes, too cute and sickeningly sweet.” Natasha said from next to them.

Felicity jumped up giving Natasha a quick smile. “I’ve got to go talk to Tony. I’ll see you both later.”

Natasha snorted, staring at Felicity’s retreating back. “Like we are going anywhere. We’re stuck in this house together.” She turned to look at Sara, her face curious. “I’ve never asked you where you learnt your moves from. They are pretty decent.”

“I was trained by the League of Assassins.” Sara didn’t really want to get into it too much. Natasha hadn’t really taken the time to talk to her and she wasn’t sure why she was suddenly so interested in sitting down for a chat.

“That’s what I thought. I recognised some of your moves. But the League doesn’t let their own fly free. How are you even here now?” Natasha asked with a little more curiosity.

Sara sighed. “I’m not part of the League.”

“But you are an assassin. Don’t try to lie. I can see it in your eyes.” Natasha stared at her.

“Yes, I am. Not proud of it but not ashamed either. What are you getting at, Widow?” Sara was growing impatient. She had never been one for games and she didn’t know if Natasha was playing one with her.

Natasha gave a small shrug. “I’ve not met many from the same profession before. Less of them that never tried to kill me at least once. Even less of them that have a heart. I’m a little intrigued.”

Sara eyed her speculatively. “For now, I have your back.”

Natasha nodded. “Good to know. And Felicity’s?”

“She has never been a threat and I will never consider her one. I will always have her back.” Sara reassured Natasha, knowing where she was coming from. Natasha took Sara at her word.

 

*

“Am I going to be on the FBI’s wanted list for this?” Felicity asked Tony, worried at what he wanted her to do.

“Like you haven’t done worse?” Tony said, glancing at her as he swiped at his screens.

“Well, you are talking about me hacking into Homeland Security, the CIA, FBI and god knows who else. I don’t want to have my baby while in a hot orange jumpsuit!” Felicity groused as she glared at him.

Tony gave a huge fake sigh. “I see Rogers is rubbing off on you. I hate it when you start getting all goody on me.”

“Stark, what are you asking Felicity to do now?” Steve stood glaring at Tony, having overheard Felicity talking about orange jumpsuits.

“Steve, it’s alright. Tony and I were just discussing limits.” Felicity tried to reassure him, a hand on his arm.

But Steve wasn’t having any of it and crossed his arms over his chest. “I don’t want her doing anything that is going to get her in serious trouble with the law.”

Felicity didn’t know whether to be proud or irritated by his protectiveness. “Steve, I’ve done worse. It’s fine. You don’t have to worry.”

“I’m not going to see my wife and the mother of my child in prison because we couldn’t find another way.” Steve’s jaw was set, his face adamant.

Felicity sighed, knowing that he was about to get his Captain America hard ass look on.

“Tony, if you’ll excuse us a minute.” She said as she dragged Steve up to their room.

 

*

“Steve, I’m good at covering my tracks. I won’t get into any trouble. I promise.” Felicity watched him pace the room, his movements slightly jerky from his anger.

“I don’t want you to do anything that will get you locked up. Besides, it’s not right.” Steve said, his voice frustrated at the thought of her doing things that he had yet to fully understand.

“I’ve done things like this before Steve. And right now, we need all the information we can get to figure out what is happening. I need to sometimes do things that may be walking the edge of unlawful. I am technically a hacker and that has never been legal.” Felicity told him pointedly, a little confused as to why he was bringing this up now. Maybe he really didn’t comprehend what she did, unless it was something else that was bothering him.

He sighed, his blue eyes sad. “I’ve always tried to be a good man and to do the right thing. Following the rules and my orders has always been my way of life and I’ve found out the hard way what happens when you don’t. After hearing what Stark was asking you to do, Felicity, I don’t want something to happen to you especially if you are trying to get into the Homeland Security and FBI systems. I will be at a loss as to how to help you if you get into trouble because of it.”

Felicity took Steve’s hand in hers. “That is not going to happen. Steve, everything we are doing right now is already walking a fine line with the government. You know that what the Avengers do will not always be on the right side of the law. Still, you need to remember that we all work as a team and we stand as a team.” She slowly traced the lines that furrowed his brow. “I’m not worried about me because I know everyone here has my back. What I am worried about is whether you believe in me and this team. You need to trust us and the decisions we make together.” She searched his eyes, still seeing turmoil within them. “Steve, this just isn’t about what we are doing, is it?”

Steve swallowed hard. “I’ve just found you. I can’t lose you and the baby. They could easily take you from me and lock you up somewhere where I can’t reach you.”

“I will never let that happen to us. We’ll stay a family. Steve, I know your first instinct is to protect us, but you need to have more faith in yourself and your team. None of us has failed you yet and none of us will let anything happen to me or our child. You are also going to have to accept that I, your future wife, am going to be hacking and doing whatever I do for a long time to come. You had better pray that your child doesn’t have my tendencies to hacking otherwise you are going to have two of us to contend with.” Felicity gently stroked his face, watching as he struggled with his own emotions before coming to a conclusion.

“I’m sorry, Sweetheart. I keep forgetting that I’m not the only one looking out for you. It’ll take me time to get used to being on this team. I’ve forgotten how I’ve had to change my world view on things recently and I’m definitely not proud of the things I’ve had to do to make sure we still have our freedom to choose. There’s a price to be paid and I’m not sure I still want to pay it. But it’s hard to trust people now. Before Fury got shot, he told me that I had to keep both eyes open. It’s something I still remember and more so now that I have much more to lose. It’s like I never know who is going to turn around and be different from what I’ve known, who is going to betray me next.” Steve’s expression was a little broken and Felicity immediately wrapped her arms around him pulling him close.

Here was a man who was still insecure about losing everything important to him and having known so much betrayal. They would have to work together on trying to overcome his fears.

She tilted her face up to him as she pulled him down by the neck, wanting to kiss him and reassure him that she was here. “Kiss me Steve,” she whispered and he didn’t hesitate, slanting his lips over hers as he nipped at her. She opened her mouth readily and welcomed him as he plunged his tongue inside, tangling his with hers. She moaned as she fisted her hands in his hair, trying to pull him even closer till they had to part, breathing heavily.

“So are we okay on limits now?” Felicity her voice husky as she tried to catch her breath.

Steve considered it for a moment before nodding his head. “For now. But if I’m concerned, I want to know that you’ll hear me out.”

Felicity huffed and smiled at him. “I will. Remember, I said I would do better at being a partner.”

He smiled at her, brushing a lock of hair away from her face. “So will I.”

 

*

Felicity had no luck with her search. She had been slow and careful in accessing FBI systems but nothing had come up and she was considering pressing her luck by going deeper. Tony was the one who stopped her.

“Smoakie, let’s use a little caution here. I don’t want the Feds surrounding my home and coming face to face with an ugly giant leprechaun. Let your searches run and Jarvis will help filter through everything. By the way, Natasha is waiting to bring you out. You can come back and finish this later.” He said, earning him a strange look from Felicity.

“Oh okay,” she mumbled, confused. Tony was never about the later and all about the now. She knew something was up but not what it was and she decided that she would try to figure it out when she got back.

Steve had wanted to come with her but Natasha had insisted that only girls were allowed. Felicity had figured that it was another trip to a lingerie store so she was surprised when the pulled up to a hospital. “Umm, what are we doing here?” she asked as she looked around confused.

“Ever played nurse before?” Natasha asked, pushing her toward what looked like a staff entrance.

“No, I don’t think so. Not even at a Halloween Party. Nor have I played Doctor Doctor. I can’t stand needles so being a nurse or doctor was out as a career option.” Felicity grimaced at the thought.

“Well, you just might need to put your acting skills to good use then.” Nat dumped a stack of clothes in her arms. “Get changed in there.” She pointed at a locker room.

Felicity had no idea what was going on but she changed into a nurse’s scrubs since both Natasha and Sara were doing the same. They left their stuff in a locker Natasha had broken into and went in search of the medical laboratory. On their way there, Natasha told Felicity what they needed to do.

“I need you to hack into the hospital records and find out about a Jane Doe that was admitted here a few days ago. The patient was unconscious and remained so till she disappeared yesterday. There should also be lab tests.” Natasha explained before suddenly stopping.

Felicity looked at what Natasha was staring at and found themselves outside a maternity room where a mother was holding a newborn baby. She nudged Natasha and asked. “What’s wrong?”

Natasha seemed to give herself a mental shake and gestured for both of them to carry on. Coming to a lab, they found only one person there who Sara managed to lure out to another room. Felicity got to work as fast as she could, looking for a Jane Doe that had been admitted. She gasped, finding the lady had been pregnant. Turning to Natasha, her voice desperate, “Why is this person so important?”

Natasha glanced at Felicity. “I think it was your friend, Lyla, but I can’t be sure.”

Felicity was furious and she whirled on Natasha. “Why didn’t you tell me before?”

“Because I couldn’t confirm if it was her and I didn’t want to get your hopes up. We need to hurry. Get the information and we’ll talk about this later.” Natasha told her, checking the door.

Felicity scrambled to download the information, transferring some of it out before erasing any signs that she had been there. They left the room quickly with Natasha telling Sara to go with Felicity while she went to the check on the video footage.

Felicity was silent all the way back to the house, stewing over what she wanted to say to Natasha when they got home but not wanting to say it in front of Sara. She agreed with Natasha that they needed to check out the information first otherwise Oliver and Sara would take off, trying to chase the information which was too dangerous.

She was sitting with her arms crossed, still angry as she stared out the window when Natasha stopped the car right outside Tony’s place. Confused as to why they hadn’t driven into the compound, she looked up and gasped in surprise to find herself staring out the windshield at the man standing there, immobile. Before Natasha or Sara could stop her, she got out of the car and took a small step forward, her focus on the cold blue eyes staring back at her. “Bucky?”

“I’m here to see Steve Rogers.” Bucky said, his voice so soft she could hardly hear him.

 

 


	33. Not In A Good Place

 

 

Natasha and Sara moved so that they were standing in front of Felicity.

“Call Steve.” Natasha whispered to Felicity before turning to face Bucky. “What do you want with Steve?” she asked, her expression alert to his every move.

“I need to talk to him.” Bucky glanced at Felicity again and moved a little closer.

Natasha immediately tensed, noticing where he was looking and she felt Sara do the same.

Bucky’s gaze swung between the two of them, noting how protective they were of Felicity. “I’m not going to hurt her,” he told them. Felicity could feel her heart pounding in her chest, wanting to reach out to the man that Steve cared so much about but knowing that would be extremely stupid.

“Don’t even think about going near her.” Steve said, running out the front gate, Clint, Tony and Oliver by his side. They came to a halt, their stances alert as they surveyed the situation.

Bucky looked them over slowly, not in the least bit threatened, before looking straight at Steve. “I came to talk to you.”

“What about?” Steve asked, his voice hard. He glanced at Felicity, measuring the distance between Bucky and her and decided to stay where he was, trying to keep Bucky’s attention on him. He watched gratefully as Oliver moved slowly to where Felicity, Natasha and Sara were standing, an extra man there to protect her.

“I know why you are here. I came to help.” Bucky said before holding out his hands. “I’m not armed.”

Tony snorted looking pointedly at Bucky’s metal arm. “That metal club of yours is a weapon.”

Steve glared at Tony with a quick warning before quickly accessing Bucky. He was dressed in civilian clothing and not in any kind of armor and he looked more than a little scruffy and tired. But what Steve focused on were that Bucky’s eyes were not the same cold, dead and expressionless eyes that Steve had encountered with the Winter Soldier and Steve felt a little hope stir within him.

“Tell us what you mean.” Steve said, moving toward Bucky slightly, testing to see what Bucky would do.

“Hydra is involved.” Bucky closed his eyes, as if in pain.

Steve took a deep breath before looking at Tony. “We need to talk to him but not out here.”

“So you want to bring him to my house so that he can destroy it?” Tony asked him in disbelief.

“Do you have another safe place that we can go to?” Steve looked at Tony impatiently. When Tony sighed in frustration, Steve looked at Oliver. “Take Felicity somewhere safe and I’ll call you to let you know when to come back.”

“Steve, I’m not leaving.” Felicity protested.

“Felicity, please do this for me. I’ll be fine.” Steve said, his eyes begging her to listen. She finally got in the car and Oliver nodded, telling him he would take care of her. Steve watched as Sara drove off before turning back to Bucky. “Let’s take this inside then.”

 

*

“Alright. Out with it. What fairy tale have you cooked up for us?” Tony stood alert but curious, watching Bucky.

Bucky looked at the Avengers surrounding him. He recognised all of them from the programming he had received even if he hadn’t encountered them personally. He did observe Bruce with mild curiosity, the man behind the glasses being mild mannered and a little awkward, the total opposite of what the Hulk became.

“I see Thor is not here.” Bucky took his time looking around, causing them to become all the more suspicious of him.

“What has that got to do with what you have to tell us?” Natasha asked, her eyes narrowed.

Bucky shrugged. “Nothing. I wanted to meet him.” When he was met with cold stares, he made his way to a chair and sat down, purposely trying to make himself seem unthreatening. He watched as they all encircled him, still standing alert.

“I assume you know that Hydra is committed to world domination through any means necessary. They proved that recently by trying to eliminate twenty million people who would have posed a threat to their success but Steve took them down when he took S.H.I.E.L.D. out.”

Bucky was interrupted by Clint. “You’re part of Hydra too. Why should we trust you or believe anything you have to say? For all we know, they’ve sent you here.”

“Hydra does not know where I am and they won’t know that I’ve come to you.” He paused and looked at Steve. “You made me remember some things. Vague memories of us. I don’t remember a lot but I’ve been trying to find out more.”

Steve looked at him sadly, not knowing whether to trust him or not. He hated feeling this way about Bucky but he couldn’t risk Felicity’s safety. “Why now? Why are you remembering things only now?”

“You said something to me. ‘I’ll be with you, till the end of the line.’ I remembered hearing you say that another time. But it hurts to try to remember. In the past, if I tried to recall anything, I know I would meet the machine and be electrocuted. So I haven’t gone back and I know they are still searching for me.” Bucky gaze didn’t waver as he looked at Steve.

Bruce spoke up. “So if you haven’t gone back, how do you know what plans they had here?”

Bucky remained unperturbed. “The information was given with my programing. I was supposed to be part of the plan and what I know is what remains in my head.”

Tony was becoming impatient. “Okay then. Can you please get to the point? This is worse than a silent movie.”

Bucky stared at Tony before continuing. “S.H.I.E.L.D. was not the only organization that Hydra had infiltrated. They have people in the Senate, Congress, NSA, FBI, CIA and the US Dept. of Treasury. These are the ones I know about but there will be more. They have waited to make their move but the time is now right.”

“The right time for what?” Steve asked.

“To assassinate someone important. I do not know the target but he or she will be important enough that their death will cause a fundamental change to the power held within the country or the world.” Bucky replied.

Natasha was the one brave enough to ask. “Could it be the President?”

“I don’t know the target. I disappeared before I received more information. But I do know that they are working with H.I.V.E. They are creating more assassins. An unstoppable army that moves as one mind.” Bucky struggled with the last part, remembering how he had been electrocuted to wipe his mind clean of memories. The last time had not been a complete success as he fought against the machine, biting down on the guard they had placed in his mouth, the pain excruciating till he had mercifully blacked out.

“One mind. One mind.” Bruce muttered, his brain whirling with the information.

“Doc. You are getting to me.” Tony said as he rubbed his forehead.

“The Chitauri. They had a hive-mind connection. Remember when Stark destroyed the mothership, the connection was lost. We found out later that they had cybernetic implants that allowed for mind control. But S.H.I.E.L.D. took it to study it.” Bruce remembered how they had thought everything had been destroyed when the government had swooped in to clean up the aftermath of the attack on New York.

Tony grimaced, not wanting to remember. “Stark Industries managed to get our hands on a few of those but I’ve stashed the project. It was a little too close to home and I didn’t want to remember flying up to the mothership.”

Clint didn’t like this one bit. The thought that the alien technology they had such a hard time defeating might be used again worried him. “If they have found a way to use Chitauri technology to create this army that we met, then I think we need to explore it further. We need to get Thor here. He’ll be able to give us an idea of what we might be dealing with. And we need to figure out who is here in the capital who is that important, besides the President.”

Steve looked toward Bucky. “You said you wanted to help. Besides telling us this, was there something else you meant?”

Bucky smiled although his smile somehow did not reach his eyes. “I want to join your team.”

“HELL NO!” Tony said, crossing his arms while everyone else just stared in shock at Bucky.

“It’s going to take a lot for any of us to trust you.” Steve told him. He turned to the rest of the Avengers. “What do you all think? We decide this as a team.”

Natasha eyed Bucky warily. “You’re different from the last time we met but I still don’t trust you. But I know you could be an asset. I wouldn’t say that you would be part of this team. You would need to prove yourself.”

Clint nodded. “I agree with Natasha. You can’t just walk in here and expect us to believe what you said.”

“I don’t. I know it will take time.” Bucky turned to Steve. “I am not the Bucky you knew and I do not know whether I will ever return to the man I was. But I give you my word that I am not here to hurt any of you. I have watched you all for some time before I approached you. I needed to know myself that I would not hurt you unknowingly.”

Steve wasn’t sure what to do. As much as he wanted Bucky close to him so that he could help him, he worried more about Felicity being placed in a dangerous situation. They lived and worked in this house and Bucky’s strength was on par with his. Would he be able to protect Felicity if things went south? He looked at his team surrounding him, remembering how Felicity had asked him to trust them, saying that they would protect her too.

As if reading his mind, Tony turned to him. “We’ll keep all eyes open with you.” When they all nodded, understanding what Tony had meant, Steve sighed and pulled out his phone to dial Oliver’s number.

 

*

Felicity had not let them travel very far, threatening to jump out the car at the next stop sign if they didn’t find a place to park. Frustrated, Sara had managed to find them a little café where they could wait for Steve to call them. Sara was now at the counter, ordering them something to eat and drink.

“We need to go back.” Felicity said, worried about Steve.

“Fe-li-city.” Oliver was exasperated at how stubborn she was being. “It’s not safe for you there at the moment. Steve will call when it’s safe.”

Felicity knew he was right but this was Bucky and she could only guess as to how much Steve was struggling. “I need to know that everything is alright.”

“Steve would rather have you and the baby safe.” Oliver told her, his jaw clenched talking about the fact that she was pregnant. He was still having a hard time dealing with it all and was not yet in a good place talking about it with her.

Felicity sighed in frustration. “I get that. But I don’t want to be handled with kid gloves or left out of team decisions just because I’m pregnant.”

“If I was in Steve’s position, I would do exactly the same thing. If it was my child you were carrying, I would never let you anywhere near danger either.” Oliver told her, his voice soft.

Felicity looked at him, seeing the emotion in his eyes and glanced at where Sara was standing. “Oliver, you can’t keep saying these things to me. It’s not fair to either Sara or Steve or even me. You need to move on and give Sara a fair chance or don’t.”

Oliver shook his head. “I’m sorry. That came out wrong. I just miss you. But you’re right, I’m not being fair.” He didn’t say more, his eyes on Sara as she returned to the table with a tray of food and drinks. He tried to remember what Natasha had said and was determined that he wouldn’t make things worse between Felicity and him. And he didn’t want to hurt Sara either.

Sara looked at the both of them, her expression pensive. “Am I interrupting anything?”

“Nope. Oliver and I have cleared it all up.” Felicity assured her. When she looked toward Oliver, he didn’t look up but instead reached towards the tray, placing items on the table. She hoped this was not going to be awkward.

It wasn’t too bad though, with Sara and her running through various scenarios as to why Bucky could possibly be here. Oliver kept silent but they knew he was listening by the way he twitched when hearing something he disliked. Sara kept looking at him, her face concerned at his tenseness. So when Steve eventually called, Sara sighed with relief when they were told they could return to the house.

 

*

Felicity approached Bucky slowly, more for Steve’s benefit than her own. She could feel Steve twitch next to her and placed her hand in his, wanting to reassure him. She didn’t think she was in any danger, knowing that Steve would not have let her return if he had had any doubts as to her safety. But she wanted to meet the person who meant so much to Steve, not knowing how much of the old Bucky remained behind the eyes staring impassively at her.

“Hi. I’m Felicity.” She watched as Bucky looked her over, accessing her. “I’ve heard a lot about you, Bucky and I’m glad to finally get to meet you.”

“I’m not the Bucky you’ve heard about.” His voice rasped. He stood still just watching her which made everyone else slightly nervous.

“Okay. It’s been seventy years and you’ve changed. Who doesn’t? But I’ve never met you before so I don’t know the old you. It will be interesting getting to know the new you though,” she said as she smiled at him.

He seemed to relax a little at that, his face softening a little before turning his attention to Oliver and Sara. He looked at them coldly before turning and walking away.

Oliver went to stand beside Clint, asking to be filled in as to what had transpired while they had been away. He figured that Clint would give him a concise version without any drama which was what he needed.

Felicity let Steve lead her to their room, knowing that he had a lot to say. She listened with horror as Steve repeated what Bucky had told them earlier, now even more worried about Digg, Roy and Lyla. Telling Steve about their little trip to the hospital only fueled Steve’s anger, not liking how Natasha had brought her into a potentially dangerous environment. There was so much she needed to do and she was itching to get back to her workstation so that she could start some searches. But the look on Steve’s face stopped her and she wanted to make sure he was alright before she left him.

“What’s going on in there?” she asked him as she smoothing her fingers gently over his brow.

“He’s been broken. They tortured him for seventy years and wiped his memories from him again and again. I don’t know if there is anything of Bucky still left in him” Steve’s voice was raw with pain, his tall frame sagging a little.

Felicity held him close, trying to take some of his pain away and not knowing if she was succeeding. “I’m sure there is. He came to find you wanting to help. If there wasn’t a trace of Bucky there, he wouldn’t have sought you out. He’s struggling to find himself again and we need to help him. You will be the most important person in helping to bring him back. You just need to remind him of who he was. Share your memories with him and of the both of you together. Every little moment that he remembers will bring him back to you.”

“I’m risking him hurting you. I don’t know whether I want to do that.” Steve said, his expression haunted and torn.

“Steve, I would never risk our child’s life if I thought it was that dangerous. But I see the need and pain in Bucky’s eyes. I don’t think he has any intention of hurting us.” Felicity nuzzled Steve’s hand as he cupped her cheek as if seeking to touch her.

“We can’t be wrong.” he whispered, his breath ghosting over her lips as he dipped his head.

“We won’t be.” she said against his lips, kissing him slowly, her tongue licking along his lower lip.

He lifted her so that her legs wrapped around his waist, walking them over to their bed and laying her gently down, crawling over her till he was settled hard against her heat. He rotated his hips as he ground into her, making them both groan as they kissed, desire shooting sparks of heat through them.

She lifted her hips up as she gripped him, trying to move him closer, if that was possible and she felt him tighten his grip as he cupped her bum, pulling her up. He moved against her, his hips rocking and she gasped at the friction from their clothes. She needed to feel him now, with nothing between them and she tore at his clothes impatiently.

She bit his lip and moaned as he shoved her dress up till it was bunched around her waist, sneaking a finger under her panties. Rubbing gently on her nub, he felt himself becoming even harder as she mewled and jerked against him, her hand coming to cover his. Moving her hips in time to the way he rubbed gentle circles, she guided his hands as she ran her tongue over his, their kisses becoming more heated and frantic.

Pulling on his zipper, she managed to free him, pushing down on his pants and he groaned as her small hands encircled him. Pumping him a little, she felt his little dot of wetness and slid it over him, lubricating him as she slid her hand down. He melded his mouth to hers, his kiss hot with the desperation he was feeling and she couldn’t wait anymore, gripping him as she moved him to her heat. Pushing her panties aside, they both gasped as he entered her, burying himself to the hilt, her muscles tightening around him as she felt him throbbing within her.

“Felicity.” He moaned her name as he pulled back out a little before plunging back in, making her cry out wildly as he thrust into her again and again, his pace quickening. She clung to him as he trembled above her, his lovemaking as desperate and as lost as he was feeling and she pulled his head down so she could lock his lips with hers, loving him with all she knew how.

As he pistoned into her, she felt the tingling start from her stomach, coiling and spreading to her back, her body trembling as she rocked her hips in time with his. She gripped his bum, pushing him up into the right angle, knowing she was so close, gasping as he hit her at just the right spot which each thrust. Her panties were creating a delightful friction between them right over her swollen nub and it was erotic, making her all the wetter as she moved her legs further apart, her feet planted to give her better purchase as she felt her walls start to quiver.

She could feel him swelling bigger, the familiar pleasure tingling through her knowing that he was also close and she reached between them so that she could rub herself. It took only a light touch with his groin rubbing against her hand as he thrust adding wonderful pressure, and she exploded into her orgasm, her back bowing upward, his name a muffled scream as she bit into his shoulder.

Steve didn’t slow down, but continued to slam into her, chasing his own release as he felt her walls clamping around him before flooding her with a hoarse shout. It felt like his hips didn’t stop moving before he stilled, collapsing onto her, his body trembling. He lifted his head and sought her lips immediately, kissing her desperately, his hands tangled in her hair as he cradled her head closer.

Feeling him soften within her, she stroked his hair as he buried his face in her neck, pressing his lips and nose to her as his breathing slowed. She heard him mumble something, and she smiled as she moved her head so she could hear what he was saying. “I love you.” He mumbled again and her heart clenched at how tired he sounded. Caressing his shoulders as his breath fluttered over her neck, she whispered back how much she loved him too.

They lay still, exhausted like that for a while till he rolled off her and went to get a cloth to clean them both up. Washing her gently, he tilted her face so she was looking at him. “Felicity. I want you to promise me you’ll not take any chances with him.”

Sitting up, she held him to her, knowing how torn he was about wanting to trust Bucky but worrying more about her. “I promise.” She told him as he held her tightly, his lips to her hair. When she lifted her face to look at him, his eyes were still haunted, though less so than the way they had been earlier. She didn’t know how to make it any better but if her reassurances were all he had, then that would be what she would give to him. Kissing him gently, she pulled him off the bed and helped him straighten their clothes. “We need to go talk to Natasha about Lyla and I need to start working on what we found at the hospital and what Bucky told us. Are you ready?”

“As ready as you are.” he said. He took her hand, feeling how tiny it was in his, before heading towards the door, his heart still burdened.

 

 

* * *

Notes: Three men, each tormented in different ways but unable to give each other any support. Huh. I really have to cut them a break, don’t I?

 

 

 

 

 


	34. I Just Don't Know

                                                                           

 

“Natasha, do you want to tell me why you brought Felicity into a dangerous situation?” Steve’s voice was hard as he faced Natasha.

“It wasn’t dangerous at all. And I needed her specific skillset. If Sara and I had done it ourselves, it would have taken much longer and we would have risked getting caught.” Natasha leaned against the table, her posture deceptively relaxed.

“Why did you need to hack into hospital records? Felicity told me that you might have found Lyla. You should have told us.” Steve glared at her, his face a stony mask.

Oliver approached them, having heard Lyla’s name. “What are you all talking about? Have you found or heard something?”

Felicity pulled the information from the hospital up on the screen. “We’re not sure yet, Oliver. Natasha, how do you know this Lyla? There is no way to identify that this was her. No photographs, nothing.”

Natasha looked at the screens before she answered. “I don’t know if it was her, which was why we needed to get the records. Jarvis has been running checks on anyone who pops up in the system who fits your friends’ descriptions. When a Jane Doe was registered who was pregnant and who mysteriously disappeared, I thought we should check it out.”

“So why not tell us? Why the secrecy?” Steve asked, angrily.

“Because of the way you have been acting around Felicity. You’ve been over-protective towards her, especially since she is now pregnant. You can’t always be by her side Steve. She needs to space to do her own things.”

Steve winced a little, turning to Felicity with a question in his eyes. Felicity sighed as she took his hands in hers. “Steve, I didn’t want to say anything as I know how worried you’ve been. So far, I’ve been able to handle it but I would have talked to you about this sooner or later. Right now, let’s just focus on Bucky and Lyla and I promise, you and I will talk about this later on.”

“I’m sorry.” Steve mumbled as he pulled her into a hug.

“Don’t be. You’ve done nothing wrong.” She said as she gave him a quick kiss before turning back to the screens. “Okay, let’s take a look at this.” Her fingers flew over the keys and she swiped the lab reports and medical charts up onto three screens so they could see them side by side. “Can someone please get Bruce up here. I have no idea how to read these medical charts.”

With Bruce briefed of the situation, he scanned the screens. “Reports show patient Jane Doe is seventeen weeks pregnant, mother and foetus are healthy but reason for mother’s state of unconsciousness is unknown. Unknown chemicals found in bloodwork which lab was still testing when all bloodwork disappeared along with the patient. That’s the quick version. I’ll have to run through the rest again to see what we missed. What I don’t understand is why the records are still here if they took everything else.”

“If this was really Lyla, could they have wanted us to find this information?” Oliver asked, his face starting to get worried.

“Why would they do that? To trap us? We didn’t run into anyone at the hospital.” Sara didn’t remember anyone peaking their suspicions at all. “And why Lyla?”

“Because she is pregnant.” Bruce said, his voice grim as he looked at the screens. “She was in the maternity ward and they were concerned as to whether the chemicals they found in her system would affect the foetus. All signs on this chart show that they weren’t but if this is Lyla and Deathstroke has her, they could have injected her with anything. We just don’t know.”

Felicity’s hand flew to her mouth in horror as they all looked on, their faces grim. Natasha turned to Steve slowly. “If they are even thinking of testing on pregnant women, what do you think they will do if they found out Felicity is pregnant with Captain America’s child?”

Stepping closer to Felicity, he put his arm around her waist so he could pull her into his side. “They won’t touch her. I’ll make sure of it.” Steve ground out, his face turning stormy as he imagined what they could do if they took Felicity from him.

Oliver stood with his fists clenched and teeth gritted. “It will never come to that. We will never allow them to take her.”

Bruce looked skyward, feeling a shift in his anger and trying to squash it quickly. “Let’s get the team together so we can talk about this. We need to get Thor here and someone has to talk to Barnes. Maybe they have some ideas as to what to do since. But keep in mind, right now, all this talk is just speculation. We don’t know if this is what they are doing.”

*

Natasha had pulled Tony aside as they waited for Thor to show up. “We are no longer playing games. Things are serious here. When you said that Oliver could be used as bait, that is no longer a viable option,” she hissed at him.

Tony rubbed the back of his neck, his mind running through a gamut of ideas. Things had changed in the last twenty four hours and they had to regroup and fast. He couldn’t use whatever plans he had, not with Felicity’s and her baby’s life at stake. He nodded at Natasha, agreeing that he would listen to what his team had to say rather than acting alone.

Felicity was sitting at the dining table trying her hardest to keep some food down when Sam came to sit beside her. Steve was with Clint, trying to get Bucky to talk but it didn’t look like he had any more information to give them. In fact, Bucky was looking angrier with whatever Steve had told him and she wondered what had brought it on.

“How are you doing?” Sam asked as he watched her grimace.

“I’m not sure but I think I can no longer eat fish. This is making me feel really sick.” She said, as she pushed the plate far away from her.

Sam grabbed the plate and took it to the kitchen, returning with a glass of juice for her. “Here, this might help.”

Felicity took a sip and sighed. “I’ve been lucky so far with no morning sickness but I guess it’s going to start bugging me soon.”

Sam patted her on the back. “It could be just from stress. It has been a crazy couple of hours.”

She gave him a weak smile and sighed. “Yes, it has. I doubt it will get better though.” She glanced at Steve who looked was looking more and more tense, his expression dark.

Following her gaze, Sam gave Felicity a small smile. “Steve and I once had a chat about losing someone. It was hard, knowing that there was nothing we could do. But this is different. Steve can protect you. We all can and we’ll going to make damn sure that nothing happens to you or that little baby you are carrying. I remember asking Steve what would make him happy. He told me then that he didn’t know. But I see him now with you and I can tell you honestly that he’s happier than he’s ever been. So I’m going to make damn sure that you both stay happy and with your baby on the way and a wedding to look forward to, your lives are going to turn out just fine. I will make sure of it.” Sam told her fiercely.

Felicity teared up and grabbed Sam, giving him a huge hug. “You are a dear friend, Sam Wilson.” She told him as she smiled up at him. “Damn these hormones. I am not going to be crying every time I give someone a hug now, am I?” Her face fell at that, her smile disappearing. “Sam, I’m so worried about Digg and Lyla. If anything should happen to them, I don’t know what I’ll do.”

“We have to believe that they are alright and that we will be able to get to them in time. We can’t give up hope.” Sam told her, his expression determined. As far as he was concerned, no news was good news. For all he knew, Digg was either holed up somewhere or kept alive as a prisoner. As long as he was still alive, he would get to him and he knew Oliver, Felicity and everyone else was on the same page.

He looked up to see Oliver approaching them. Felicity gave him a small nod, telling him that it was alright and he left them so that they could talk.

“Hi,” Oliver said as he sat down next to her. “You doing okay? You looked a little ill just now.”

“I’m guessing I’m suffering from a version of morning sickness here. Some food just does not agree with me anymore.” Felicity told him with a small smile.

“Did you want something else? I can go get it for you.” He told her, wanting to help.

Felicity shook her head and smiled at him. “Thank you, Oliver. I don’t think I can handle eating at the moment but if I’m hungry, I’ll let you know.”

“Felicity, I want you to know that I will never let anything happen to you. With all that has been happening and now that Digg, Lyla and Roy are missing, there is no way that I’m going to let anyone get to you.” Oliver said, his voice rough with emotion.

Felicity sighed as she took hold of his hands. “We will get the team back together. Oliver, we haven’t lost them yet. We need to believe that they are fine and that we will get them back.”

“Digg is like a brother to me. If I lost him like I did Tommy... and Lyla and their baby… it’s like I’m losing the people I love all over again.” Oliver felt like he was choking, and he allowed himself to drop his head, feeling the weight on his shoulders.

Felicity couldn’t help the tears this time, letting them slide down her face. “Oliver, look at me.” She whispered to him fiercely. “We will find them. There is no one better here than this team in front of you that will be able to do that. We cannot allow Slade to win this time. I will not believe that he can take the people we love from us. I will not allow it!”

Oliver looked at her, not knowing whether to hug her. He wanted to, very badly and he struggled with it, knowing Steve and Sara could see them. He knew he should be saying this to Sara rather than Felicity, but he couldn’t help himself. She was the one he needed comfort from at the moment. He knew that Sara wouldn’t be able to give him that same comfort, not right now. Sighing, he patted her hands and nodded. He needed to get up and get away from her before he did something stupid. “I won’t allow it either,” he told her as he walked away back to where Sara was standing with Natasha. He didn’t look up at Steve, knowing that he was watching them. He didn’t want to have to apologise for needing to seek comfort from a friend.

 

*

Thor arrived soon after, striding in like he hadn’t been away for weeks. He went straight to Felicity and wrapped her in a huge hug, leaving her laughing breathlessly. “It would seem that congratulations are in order to both you and Captain Rogers. And I would very much like to celebrate this with you when this is all over,” he said as he smiled down at her.

“That’s what the wedding is for.” Steve said, amused. “Just be there.”

“I would not miss it for the world.” Thor said, clapping Steve on the back. “So, tell me about this ‘friend’ that has come to visit us. Heimdall has told me much but I would like to hear it from you.”

“Thor, why don’t you meet him yourself before we fill you in on what has been happening.” Clint said as he led the way to where Bucky was sitting silently.

Thor looked Bucky over. “I hope it will not be necessary for me to say this more than once. These are my friends and I would not see them hurt. So beware Winter Soldier, for I will not tolerate any harm befalling them.”

Bucky was tired of being threatened but this was the last of the Avengers that he was meeting and he hoped he wouldn’t have to hear any more talk of him hurting them. “It will not come to that.”

Thor nodded as they all gathered around to bring Thor up to date as to what Bucky had told them and what they knew about Digg, Lyla and Roy.

Steve sat of the couch, his arm around Felicity as he pulled her close. He had spent the last few hours feeling like a huge weight had settled on his heart and he wasn’t sure how to deal with it. So he tried to ignore it for now, hoping that the team would be able to come up with something that could guarantee her safety.

“Can’t Heimdall tell you where they are?” Felicity asked Thor hopefully. “I mean, you said that he can see what is going on here right?”

“Heimdall only sees but may not interfere. It is forbidden.” Thor told her sadly. “If there were another way, I would tell you Felicity.”

“Let’s summarize this.” Tony said, ignoring everyone’s groans. “Man made Cap. Hydra tried to make another Cap but came out with Metal Arm over there. Man tried again but came out with Mr Green. Now Hydra is back trying to make a bunch of Mini Hulks but they have no idea that we have a mini Cap on the way.”

“Now that you’ve managed to put it that way, does it make any more sense to you because we were all perfectly clear before.” Oliver told him angrily. “And you missed the part about all of my friends missing and we have no idea if they are still alive and in trouble.”

Sara placed a hand on Oliver’s arm, telling him to calm down. He heaved a heavy sigh, running his hand over his brow. He had not felt so helpless in a long time and he really wanted to get out on the streets to search for Digg. But this was not his city and he had no idea where to start looking.

“We didn’t miss the part about Digg, Roy and Lyla being missing and we are working on finding them. But right now, we need to figure out how to keep Felicity safe too. No one outside this room can know that she carrying Cap’s baby. Not when this is going on anyway.” Clint said patiently to Oliver.

“I’ve said this before. I’m not going to be held prisoner at home. I can’t live my life that way. I know I need to be careful but I’m not going to be locked up till the baby is born.” Felicity said getting upset.

“You are not showing yet so it’s pretty safe for you to be out and about.” Natasha gave Steve a warning look when she saw he was about to interrupt. “I’m not suggesting she go out alone. We will need to take precautions and Felicity, you will need to follow them.” She smiled when Felicity nodded reluctantly.

“No one can know I am here either.” Bucky said quietly, staring at the surprised faces. “They will come for me if they know I am here with you.”

“Oh just great! We need to babysit you too!” Tony rolled his eyes angrily.

“Do we need to relocate?” Sara asked, looking around at how exposed they were. “I mean, everyone knows where you live and if they did purposely set it up so that we would go to the hospital, they would know that the Avengers were here.”

“Good point, birdie.” Tony smirked at her.

“Do NOT call me that!” Sara said with gritted teeth, glaring at Tony.

“Enough!” Steve told them both firmly. “Deathstroke and whoever he works with has shown us time and again that they can find us wherever we are. We cannot hide so we might as well make a stand here. We seem to be doing alright with this many of us in the house. But we need to work together, not apart on this.” He looked at Tony angrily and felt relief when Tony nodded back.

Turning to Felicity, he looked determined. “You need to understand that this is Hydra we are talking about. There is nowhere you could go that they will not find you. So I’d rather you stay by me. By all of us. I realize that you don’t want to feel like you are being locked up and we will try to make sure that you have your freedom. But I want you to promise us that you will listen when we feel it’s not safe. Please do that, even if it’s just for me.”

Felicity hugged him. “I’m not known to be the best at listening but I’m willing to give it a shot.”

He looked at her exasperated. They were going to have to talk about his limits since she obviously didn’t have a lot of them.

Tony stood up abruptly. “Dammit! I’m building you a suit! It won’t have all the bells and whistles, but it’ll be enough to get you and my nephew away.”

Felicity stared at him, dumbfounded. “Tony,” she said softly, knowing how defensive he was about the design of his Ironman suits, “are you sure?”

“I will keep you safe, Smoakie. Don’t look at me like that with those blue eyes of yours. I know I’m all gorgeous but I’m thinking Cap is the jealous type.” Tony fidgeted, looking a little uncomfortable with all the emotion directed at him. “I won’t just make a suit for anyone. I trust that you will not abuse the power within the suit and besides, how many people are smart enough to know how to think with one of my suits. You may not reach my level of genius, but you’ve close enough.”

Felicity laughed. “I’m going to let you get away with that one because your gesture is so sweet. Wait. What makes you think it’s a boy?”

Tony pointed a finger at Steve. “With a father like Cap, how can you think it’ll not be of a replica of him? I already know this baby is going to torment me with his wholesome goodness!”

 

*

It was just past midnight but Felicity was not at all tired. In fact, her mind was buzzing with all that had happened that day. She stroked Steve’s hair as he lay with his ear to her belly, his breathing even. But she knew he wasn’t asleep, his lashes sometimes tickling her skin as he blinked, laying a gentle kiss once in a while which made her smile.

“Do you want to talk about anything?” she asked softly, her finger running over the shell of his ear.

“I’m not sure I have anything to say that we haven’t already said.” Steve said, his eyes closed, content just to feel her warm skin beneath his cheek. Taking her hand, he kissed it gently before letting her continue stroking his cheek.

“I want you to know that I am scared too.” Felicity told him. She had never really admitted it before, knowing that he was terrified and not wanting to add to it. But he needed to know that she would not be reckless.

He shifted, kissing his way up her till his head was above her heart, his palm protective over her belly where his child lay safe. “I am too. But I’ll fight to keep my family safe. If I have to give up my life to keep you two safe, I will.”

Felicity shook her head, her hands on his face till he looked at her. “I will not lose you either. You need to stay with me. We will raise our child together, do you understand me, Steve?”

“I’m not going anywhere, sweetheart. We have our whole lives ahead of us. How could I bear to leave you alone?” he said as he moved up her to kiss her sweetly.

“You had better not.” she said as she tugged him closer, her kiss tinged with the emotion she was feeling. Her breath hinged as his hand swept up her thigh, their tongues warring as they shared their need for each other.

“I love you.” She whispered to him as he settled between her legs, taking her with the urgency they both felt. She repeated that to him many more times that night, allowing their lovemaking to be the reassurance that they were both safe, their kisses a promise that they would keep it that way.

 

 

* * *

Note: A tougher chapter to write because of the darkness that had to be explored. Just know that there is a lot of love behind this darkness which was this chapter’s saving grace. Hope you enjoyed it.


	35. I Do Care

                  

 

Bruce found Felicity sitting at the dining table early the next morning. She was staring at the bowl of cereal in front of her grumpily, stirring the spoon around as she looked at the soggy mess.

“What’s with the face?” he asked with a small smile.

“Nothing looks edible enough to stay down. And I really would love a coffee but the machine is too well guarded. I’ve been banned from going near it.” Felicity grouched, a sour look on her face.

Bruce laughed amused. “We’ll find you a temporary solution so that you don’t crave your caffeine.”

“I honestly don’t think you can.” Felicity sighed mournfully. “You wanted to talk to me about something?” she asked.

“I wanted to ask you about your doctor.” Bruce said shyly. “We’re not in New York and I don’t think you have one here. Did you want me to check on you instead? I don’t know if you would feel awkward with me but I can check on the basic things.”

Felicity smiled gratefully at him. “Thank you Bruce. I think that’s a great idea since I don’t think I can freely just visit a doctor now, especially since everyone knows I’m with Steve. It wouldn’t do if our secret got out.”

“You’ll still need to find a proper obstetrician later though. I’m only going to make sure you are healthy and you keep your stress levels low.”

Felicity thought that was really funny. “Low stress levels. Right! How would you propose I do that when I’m here?”

Bruce grinned at her. “If I can do it, so can you.”

Natasha had joined them while they were chatting and she watched them with amusement. “I can always show you some yoga moves.” She grinned as Felicity quickly shook her head.

“Nope. I know you Nat and I swear, you are out to torture me. Plus, I’ve seen how flexible you are and I’m not going to be able to contort my body like you.” Felicity quickly made her escape before Natasha could say anything else.

Natasha snorted before turning her gaze to Bruce who was looking at her wide-eyed. “What’s with the look, Banner?”

“Nothing.” Bruce stuttered. “I’m going to get back to work.”

She watched him with a hint amusement as he walked away, convinced that she had seen a spark of attraction there. _Interesting._ Turning, she saw Bucky watching her carefully. “See something you like, Barnes?” she asked him.

“I’ve met you before, haven’t I?” he asked her, his face confused.

“Yes, you have. Twice. And both those times you shot me.” Natasha told him coldly.

Bucky winced a little and looked downward, scrunching his face as he thought. “I don’t remember.”

Natasha felt a twinge of an emotion akin to sympathy for him. Unlike Steve, Bucky had not asked to become what he was, having his memory wiped till he no longer had any notion of the man he had been. _What the hell was that?_ She shook the feeling off and schooled her face, reminding herself that he had been programmed as a weapon and that they needed to figure out if he remained one. “That’s too bad because I do.” She left him at that.

“What do you think?” Steve asked her as she walked up to him, tilting his head at Bucky.

“He’s trying to remember things, although not quite successfully. I have no idea how they wiped his brain of memories but you should ask Banner about brain damage.” Natasha said truthfully.

“Do you think he’ll be a threat to us?” Steve asked, his face sad.

“I’m still trying to get a read on him. But you should talk try to talk to him since you know him best.” Natasha gave Steve a little smile, her way of encouraging him. “He doesn’t seem like a threat right now. And if he was, we are all here so you don’t have to worry.”

Steve’s lips managed to quirk up a little. “Thanks partner.”

“Anytime.” She said with a little wave.

Steve walked over slowly to where Bucky was. “Do you remember anything about us?”

Bucky stared at him before shaking his head. “I know that you told me we were friends, but I don’t remember much more. My memories are fuzzy, like moving pictures that I cannot see well.”

Steve looked at him sadly. “We are best friends Bucky. Best friends and brothers since we were kids. You’re my family and I’m going to help you regain your memories. But you’re going to have to want to do that too.”

“I’ll try.” Bucky said. “You don’t trust me.” His expression was inscrutable and it hurt Steve even more that he couldn’t see much of the Bucky he knew in the person sitting in front of him.

“You need to show me that I can trust you. If you were the Bucky I knew, there would never be any doubt. But you’ve been brainwashed and programed and I have no idea what has been done to you. Show me that I can trust my family with you.” Steve was struggling, still unsure whether to trust Bucky but knowing he would be the one that needed to make the next move. Steve hoped that he was making the right choice, trusting that everyone would keep Felicity safe here in the house.

Bucky nodded slowly, looking toward where Felicity was sitting. “I will not hurt her. And I will not let anyone else hurt her either.”

 

*

“You don’t look so good. Are you sure you’re okay?” Maria asked Felicity with concern.

“Morning sickness and lack of coffee are not my pals.” Felicity said, holding her head. “I’ll be fine. Just don’t ask me to move too much.”

Maria nodded, her face still concerned, before turning back to what she was looking at. “I’ve pulled up information on that hospital you visited with Natasha and Sara. Take a look at the floor plans. What do you see?”

Felicity looked at them closely, shaking her head when she didn’t see anything strange. “Nada. What am I supposed to be looking for?”

“Jarvis, can you show the old hospital floor plans as an overlay please.” Maria called out.

“Certainly, Ms Hill,” Jarvis replied as a new floorplan flashed on the screen in a different colour.

Maria pulled out a 3D image of the basement with old floorplans overlaid over new. “Okay, take a look at it now.”

Felicity pushed the image around looking closely at the lower basement. “Were those rooms closed off and I think there were doors there but where would they lead to?”

“I think they either renovated those rooms or closed them off as the structure seems a little different. The doors could lead to tunnels but we should get in there to take a look. If there are tunnels still there, they could have taken Lyla out through one of them. It’s the only lead we have at the moment.” Maria said as she signalled for Tony and Steve to come over to take a look.

 

*

“Don’t you need to go with them?” Felicity asked when Steve told her he was staying at the house.

“No. They are just going to check out the hospital and search for any existing tunnels. We’ve agreed that they should come back if they find anything since we’re going to need a plan if that’s the case. And you need me here.” Steve said, as he looked at her worriedly.

“Steve, are you sure? I don’t want you not going just because you think you should stay with me.” Felicity was uncomfortable with the idea.

Steve smiled at her knowingly. “I’m tracking everyone on this end with Hill and Banner and I also want to keep an eye on Bucky. Stark is not going either. Come on. I think you need to get some rest. I’ll let you know if we hear anything.”

“I’m not going to be able to get any rest knowing everyone is out there.” Felicity argued. She needed to be able to help Maria handle comms.

As if reading her mind, Steve shook his head. “Maria can handle comms herself. You look like you are going to fall down. Come on, let’s get you to bed.” Taking her hand, he led the way back to their room. Settling them down on the bed, he smiled as she snuggled up to him. “Do you want anything to eat or drink? I know you haven’t eaten much today.”

Felicity groaned. “No. I don’t even want to think about food right now,” she said, burying her head in his chest, trying to get comfortable.

Steve kissed her forehead gently as he stroked her hair. “I’m sorry I can’t do anything to make you feel better.”

“I’m hoping this baby won’t be as troublesome as her parents. Maybe she has a sweet tooth.” Felicity nuzzled Steve, already feeling a little better now that he was holding her.

“I’m guessing you’re hoping we’ll have a daughter.” Steve grinned as he tilted her chin up to give her a soft kiss. “If she looks anything like her mother, we’ll be in big trouble.”

She laughed at that. “I would say the same if we had a son and he looked like you. I’ll be forever fending off the girls on our doorstep.”

“Hmm. Not my experience growing up but I’ll go with anything you say.” Steve said as pulled her till she was lying down, her head pillowed on his arm. He gently ran his hand across her abdomen, smiling at the thought that in another couple of months, her belly would be beautifully swollen with his child. “Sweetheart, get some rest and I’ll call you when they get close to the hospital.”

“Could you stay here for a bit? I’m all comfortable here with you as my pillow.” She smiled as she wriggled closer to his warmth.

“I’m not going anywhere.” Steve chuckled as she curled into him, throwing an arm over her so that he could hug her close. He stayed with her till she fell asleep, kissing her forehead softly before leaving to look for Bruce. “Doc. Do you have a moment to talk about Felicity?” he asked when he found Bruce with Maria.

Bruce nodded. “What’s up?”

“I’m just concerned about her. I know morning sickness is typical but is there anything else that could be making her feel this ill?” Steve asked.

“I think she’s just experiencing normal morning sickness and it will pass. What could be a concern are her stress levels. She seems to be handling everything that has been happening well but we should try to ease it a little for her.”

Maria snorted as she looked at them. “Good luck with that. If you try to tell her to stop, she’ll probably get even more upset. Don’t worry, we’ll look out for her, Captain. She’ll be fine.”

Steve rubbed his head tiredly. He hoped they were right as he didn’t like Felicity being here with all that was going on.

 

*

An hour later, Felicity was back in front of the screens, feeling better and slightly more refreshed. She was letting Maria handle the comms since it was a simple exploratory excursion.

Jarvis was supposed to map out any routes that the team took if they found any tunnels or anything that wasn’t already on the hospital’s floor plans. Tony wanted to try to record any pathways, rooms, opening and obstructions they found in case they had to follow them again later.

“Natasha, which doors have you checked that we saw on the old plans?” Maria asked, wanting Jarvis to indicate them on the screens.

“Doors one and two. Both were dead ends. Checking three now. Hold on.” Natasha responded as she waited for Thor and Oliver to move a large cabinet out of the way. “Found the door. It looks like there is an entrance and a tunnel. Switching on mapper now. We’re going in.”

Steve grabbed a comm. “Nat, don’t separate from each other. Let us know if you come to any intersections.”

“Did you hear that Queen? You need to be stuck to my hip.” Natasha said to Oliver who just gave her a dirty look.

Tony watched as his mapper did the job, tracing the way the direction they were walking in. “How big is the tunnel?” he asked through comms.

“It’s more like a small corridor with brick walls about nine feet wide and high. At least Thor is not hitting his head against on the ceiling. The air isn’t too stale and it’s dry which is strange.” Clint responded before grunting. “We’ve come to another door. Thor, can you get that, please?” He waited for Thor to wrench it open before continuing. “Alright, hit a tunnel which looks like an old sewer. It’s dry. Should we go left or right?”

Steve shrugged when Tony looked at him. “I don’t want you to split up yet. Go left and see what you find and then double back.”

The group hit a wall after a few minutes and doubled back the way they came. They searched for another hour encountering forks and other obstructions before Oliver called in frustrated. “This is getting us nowhere. The path is endless. Either we split up or we come in.”

Steve sighed. “Come back. We’ll find another way.”

“Stark, is it possible to send in a drone with a mapper. We can control it from here.” Maria asked.

“I can build one. The only problem is that if it encounters anyone, we won’t have the advantage of surprise anymore.”

“I don’t think we have much of an advantage now anyway. We’re in the dark.” Steve said. “Felicity, what are you doing?”

Felicity glanced up at him quickly. “I’ve pulled anything that was built underground, from sewer to pipes to subways, actual tunnel maps and road and buildings. We can overlay anything and see where they have travelled underground. Maybe we can figure out a route or other access points. Jarvis, need your help here.” she called out.

Jarvis lay it all out for them using 3D imaging but it was too complicated so they used various layers instead till they found a map they could use.

“This is an old tunnel system built in case there was flooding. It hasn’t been used in a while since they rerouted the sewer system. I’m guessing that’s why certain points were blocked off. But if Slade wanted to, he could have opened up access to it. We just need to find one.” Felicity looked at the path that had already been explored, noticing the number of offshoots and dark spots still unexplored.”

Tony shook his head. “I don’t think this whole system has been abandoned. It’s too large and too extensive. I’m sure some of the tunnels are still in use. I’ll work on the drone and see if we can get it in there soon. Doc, do you have any ideas?” he asked as he dragged Bruce off with him.

Bucky had been watching the images silently which made Sam wary. “Any thoughts?” Sam asked Bucky, making Steve look up with a small frown.

“They won’t be far from their target. If you can find where they might have travelled, you will be able to figure out their target.” Bucky responded.

“You are such a huge help.” Sam said sarcastically to Bucky, before sending Steve a look of disbelief. Steve shook his head, asking Sam to be patient. He had to trust that Bucky didn’t know anything and that he wasn’t playing games with them.

 

*

“Tony, these are brilliant!” Felicity said as she reached out to touch the drone.

“Ah ah ah. No touching!” Tony wagged his finger at her. “Of course it’s brilliant. Who created them?” he said as he smirked at her.

Tony had managed to build two drones outfitted with cameras, a mapper, a 3D laser scanner and infra-red scanners. Felicity watched as Tony tested them out manually before switching them to on autopilot mode.

“What are the scanners for?” Steve asked when he saw them.

“The laser scanner can identify large cracks that we could easily miss in the dark, for example, entrances that were sealed over or access points that may not be easily seen. The infra-red scanner will pick up heat signatures so if anyone is down there or behind a wall, we will know. It’ll save us a lot of time.” Tony explained.

Oliver snorted. “What I don’t understand is why you didn’t think of all this before you sent us down there. For all you know, we could have found Digg, Lyla and Roy by now.”

“Well, I can’t think of everything. That’s supposed to be your job!” Tony snarked back, irritated that Oliver did not seem at all impressed. “Let’s get these drones on the move and then we’ll see what we can find.”

 

*

Felicity was back at the dining table, staring at a plate of food in front of her when she looked up to see Bucky standing to the side, looking at her. “Do you want to join me?” she asked, gesturing to a chair.

He sat down slowly and Felicity frowned when he still did not say anything. “I must tell you I get really uncomfortable with awkward silences. Not that this is awkward but it is too silent. You need to talk more. Say a few words. Have a conversation.” She tilted her head to look at him curiously, her eyebrows lifted slightly. “Did you have something you wanted to say to me?”

“I wanted to know more about him. Maybe you can tell me.” Bucky said haltingly.

“You know you just have to sit down and talk to Steve,” she told Bucky gently. When he didn’t respond, she smiled at him. “He’s talked about you a lot. You’re his best friend, a part of his family and when he thought you had died, it tore him apart. It was even worse when he found out that you were the Winter Soldier and what they had done to you. But he hasn’t lost faith in you. He still believes that deep down, the Bucky he knew is still there and he’s willing to work at helping you regain some of the memories you’ve lost.”

“I’m not sure if I can be that person anymore.” Bucky said sadly.

“Bucky, you don’t have to be. All of us change. Steve has changed. Perhaps you should just focus on finding yourself first. Find something within you that is important to hold on to. Take things one day at a time. We’re not in a hurry for you to go back to the Bucky Steve knew 70 years ago.” Felicity gave him an encouraging smile.

Bucky stared at her. “I can see why he loves you so much.”

“I love him too.” Felicity smiled gently back at him.

Bucky stared at her which made Felicity slightly unnerved. “You are also brave. Are you not afraid of what will happen if Hydra finds out about your child?”

“I believe in Steve and everyone else here. I think I’m in good hands.” Felicity told him watching him carefully. It didn’t seem like he had an ulterior motive for asking her such a question. In fact, it was as if he was genuinely curious.

“I am not Steve.” Bucky said, his eyes on the floor. “But I will keep you safe.”

He had surprised her and Felicity didn’t know what else to say to him so she asked the first question that came to her mind. “Why?”

“I do not know. I just know that it is important that I should.” Bucky said quietly.

“Thank you. I guess. Are we friends now or is it a bit soon? Nevermind. It’s the wrong time to ask.” Felicity said, slapping her hand to her forehead. _Too much too soon, Felicity!_ She mentally scolded herself. _Maybe these pregnancy hormones are going to make me ask even stranger questions._

Bucky nodded and got up. “You can talk to her now,” he said before turning toward Oliver who had been standing in the doorway, watching them both. Felicity looked towards Oliver surprised, not having realised that he had been listening to their conversation. She watched Bucky leave before asking Oliver what he needed.

“I don’t trust him.” Oliver said as he stared at Bucky’s retreating back.

“Someone has to.” Felicity said stubbornly and gave Oliver a warning look when she saw he was about to argue. “How would you like it if everyone kept their distance from you or refused to go near you when you were trying hard to fit in?”

“This is different, Felicity. He’s dangerous and has proven so many times. We don’t know if he’s working with Hydra or H.I.V.E.” Oliver growled out. He was frustrated that everyone was not taking more care in keeping Bucky under close watch and away from Felicity. He didn’t understand what Steve was thinking and told Felicity so.

“Steve believes that I know what I’m doing and he trusts that I will let him know if I feel there’s something wrong. Besides, everyone keeps telling me that I have all of you here to protect me.” Felicity told him.

Oliver nodded, smiling as he looked at her. “We all protect the ones we love.”

 

 

* * *

Notes: I thought I’d spend a little time focusing on lots of little meaningful conversations. Some of them will be important later on when we look at the bigger picture within the team. I loved delving into everyone’s psyche and exploring their little interactions and their understanding of or protectiveness towards Felicity. I hope you had as much fun with the little peeks I gave you.

 


	36. Watch and Find

                       

 

“I think the drone has found something.” Maria called out.

“What is it?” Felicity rushed over to look at the screens.

“Heat signatures. Four of them. Definitely people. They aren’t moving much though.” Maria responded as she asked Jarvis to map out where the people were.

“Jarvis, pull up all information from the drones.” Tony called out, swiping at the screens quickly.

“What do you see?” Sam asked, totally confused by what he saw in front of him.

“Small room, unsealed, although that may mean that it’s just not blocked in by concrete. It looks like a storage room of some sort with open access but those look like metal bars. It’s too dark to see more and the drones can’t light the room enough from that far away. Although I think those are people lying down. Can’t see more so I think we need to go in.” Tony tried to remotely move the drone cams around while Felicity looked for nearby tunnel access.

Oliver wasn’t about to waste time looking for a way in. “How far is it from the hospital tunnel?”

“Too long.” Maria responded as she tried to track the route to take. “At least a couple of hours to get there and back.”

“We need to find another point to enter by. That’s too far to provide you with any backup you might need if you run into trouble.” Steve wasn’t liking this at all. “This feels wrong somehow.”

“If this is Digg, it’s a risk I’m willing to take. I’m going in, regardless.” Oliver was resolute and Sara nodded her agreement.

They almost didn’t hear him when Bucky said softly. “I’ll go.”

“What did you say?” Steve asked, surprised.

“I’ll go. You need someone strong enough with you and I’ve been trained to move quickly underground. I can be of help so I’ll go.” Bucky said as they all stared at him.

The Avengers looked at each other, uncertain. “Well, we are going to have to trust him sometime. Here’s his chance to prove it.” Clint said pointedly.

“There is a possibility that this could be a way in that’s closer.” Felicity pulled up a map of the old abandoned subway lines and pointed to an access through an old building. “Not sure if the old access door is blocked off but I’ll check for other ways in.”

“Well, I need to be where the party is. Since I know all the prudish ones are going to be staying here.” Tony said as he gave Steve a meaningful look. “Doc, how much anti-serum do you have handy?”

 

*

“Can you get in?” Maria asked as she heard Tony grunt.

“Yes, once I blast my way in. They’ve filled this entrance with concrete so I’m going to have to do some damage.” Tony replied before asking everyone to take cover as he destroyed the obstacle in front of them. “I’m going to need to send this suit to the cleaners after all this dust settles,” he sighed as he pushed debris out of the way.

“Felicity, please give Tony directions.” Maria was pulling up drone scans to make sure they didn’t have any unwanted visitors nearby.

Bruce and Steve watched, with Bruce keeping an eye on the spectrometer readings. “No gamma radiation present. You are safe to proceed.” Bruce told them.

“You need to be on the lookout.” Steve told them as he watched them make their way through the tunnels. They didn’t have much light available with what they were carrying and the beam from Tony’s suit.

“Isn’t that what you guys are for? To let us know what is around the corner?” Natasha said softly, trying to limit the echo and noise they were making. Communication was limited after that with the occasional direction given.

“You’re coming up on location soon.” Maria told them. “It’s on your left, another 10 metres.”

They crept up slowly and carefully, pausing to see if they could anything but all was silent. With an all clear, Tony managed to get the gate open and Oliver gasped to find Digg lying on a cot, unconscious.

Felicity’s hand flew to her mouth, afraid that Digg was badly hurt. She let out a breath when Oliver told them that he looked like he was drugged but he didn’t look like he had any other serious injuries.

“Is Lyla there too?” Felicity asked, hoping against hope.

“No. And I don’t recognise the other three people either although they might be from the Squad.” Oliver said softly over the comms.

Clint and Natasha quickly searched the room and the surrounding area but came up with nothing. “We need to leave.” Natasha said signalling for them to go. “We’ll have to bring them to a hospital as they are not coming round.” She glanced at Bucky and paused when she found him staring at one of the men. “What’s wrong?”

“He looks familiar. But I don’t remember where I’ve seen him before.” Bucky said, his brow furrowed in a frown as he tried hard to place the face.

“You can try to remember on the way back. Just grab him.” Natasha told him, her voice short. They needed to leave before trouble came. “Maria, give us directions to the nearest hospital.”

 

*

Felicity hadn’t left Digg’s bedside and Steve was getting worried. “You need to eat something,” he told her anxiously, frustrated when she shook her head.

“I’m not hungry,” she told him, her hand still holding on to Digg’s.

“Felicity, go with Steve and get something to eat. I’ll call you if Digg starts to wake up.” Oliver told her, patting her on the back.

Felicity looked between Steve and Oliver, torn between wanting to stay and knowing that Steve was getting upset. “Fine. But we come right back after.” She told Steve, who nodded his head relieved. “Sara, did you want to come with us?”

“No, I’ll stay with Oliver. Bring us both back something.” Sara said from her seat. She wanted time with Oliver, knowing he was worried even though he wasn’t showing it.

Steve pulled Felicity close as they walked to the elevators. “Are you okay?” he asked her, his eyes searching hers. He knew she was being stoic but he had seen how she had almost panicked when they had found Digg. Even though Felicity hadn’t shown it much since she had found out that he had been missing, he knew that she had been worried sick while trying to keep up a positive attitude for Oliver and Sara. Her search had been relentless and now that they had found Digg, it seemed that she was relieved but worried all over again. Especially since the doctors had no idea why he was not waking up.

“I’m fine, Steve. Maybe just a little tired. Has anyone managed to find out who the other three are?” Felicity asked.

“Maria has contacted A.R.G.U.S. She’ll let us know when they get back to her.” Steve told her. “What can you eat?” He said looking around at options, not knowing what she could handle with her morning sickness.

“I would love a burger.” She said as everything else didn’t look as appetizing. _My man,_ she smiled widely at him when Steve didn’t even argue healthy food options, choosing to get her something she craved instead.

He gave her a quick grin before taking off and she tried to relax in her seat to wait for him, taking out her phone to call Maria. As she talked on the phone giving Maria an update, her eyes scanned the room, landing on a man staring at her. Nervous, she glanced at Steve who was placing their order and didn’t have eyes on her. _He could_ _just recognise me and Steve from the old paparazzi photos,_ she thought but something about him seemed off and she followed her instinct, dialing Steve’s phone from under the table. He picked up immediately, turning to look at her knowing something was wrong and following her line of sight, immediately starting toward the man.

“Is there something you need?” Steve asked the man, studying him intently.

“No. I just thought I recognised her from somewhere.” The stranger replied. “I’m sorry if I worried you.” He got up to leave, sending a smile Felicity’s way.

Steve shook his head, unsure what he could do since he couldn’t exactly get the man to stay. He saw Felicity take a quick photograph of the man and went over to her. “Why were you concerned about him?”

“I’m not sure. At first I thought he was someone that just recognised us from photos from before, but he creeped me out by staring at me. Maybe I’m just not used to all this attention yet.” Felicity gave herself a mental talking to before sending Steve back to get their food. Taking out her phone, she looked at the photograph that she had taken of him, reminding herself to do a facial recognition search later. It was better to be safe than sorry.

 

*

“I’m going to try to get the results of the blood work.” Felicity told Tony and Bruce later when they were back in Digg’s room.

“Felicity.” Steve’s tone had a warning to it, knowing that her suggestion didn’t involve just asking the doctor for the information.

“I’ll get it.” Oliver said, ignoring the look Steve shot his way.

“You won’t know how. I need to hack into the medical files so I’ll have to go.” Felicity told him. “Steve, I need to do this. The doctors have no idea what Mirakuru is and we need to check if it’s in his system. Right now, we can’t get Digg discharged so we have to work with what they have here.”

“I am really not okay with this.” Steve said, although his voice sounded resigned. He knew he was outnumbered by the look on everyone’s face. “Fine. What do you need me to do?”

Felicity shook her head. “Nothing. I need you to stay here with Digg and Sara. I’ll go with Oliver and Bruce. It’ll be easier if I’m not seen with you so that I won’t be as easily recognised.”

Seeing that Steve was getting upset, Oliver quickly stepped in. “I’ll take care of her. We won’t be gone long.”

Steve sighed as he turned to watch them leave. He was going to have to get used to her how very brave yet stubborn she was since it obviously wasn’t going to be the last time she would do something like this.

 

*

Oliver managed to get them into the lab, rendering the lab tech temporarily unconscious. “Don’t leave a trail.” he told Felicity.

She sighed at how unsubtle he was compared to Natasha and Sara and quickly started hacking into the hospital’s mainframe. Bruce looked over her shoulder, picking out information that he thought might be important that was linked to Digg’s main file. She also downloaded the information for the other John Does thinking Bruce would need it for comparison with Digg’s records. Erasing all trace of their being there, they tried to sneak out the door. They almost made it before she saw the man from the cafeteria, standing staring at them at the end of the corridor.

Grabbing Oliver’s arm, she whispered fiercely to him. “Oliver, that man was at the cafeteria watching me earlier.”

“Stay with her.” Oliver growled at Bruce before following the man who had taken off running.

Bruce tugged her towards the stairwell. “We need to get you back to Steve. Call him now.”

Steve met them half way up the stairs, looking around to make sure they were not being followed. “What happened?” he asked, angry that Felicity hadn’t been out of his sight for more than half an hour and was already in trouble.

“It was that man from the cafeteria. He was standing outside the lab when we came out, watching us. Oliver went after him.” Felicity panted.

“We’re going back to the house. You’re not staying here.” Steve told her, pulling her towards the exit. When Felicity tried to argue, he wouldn’t listen. “Felicity, you can’t stay here. We have no idea who this person is and what they are trying to do. You can check on things from the house and Oliver and Sara can stay with Digg and let you know what’s happening. Sam is coming back here anyway. No arguments Felicity.” he told her fiercely, already in protective mode.

She knew he was right and decided that arguing with him would be silly. “Alright. Let’s go home. Anyway, Bruce needs to looks at the information we downloaded.”

Bruce nodded when Steve looked his way. “I have all the data and I’ll start working on what we have. Maybe we can isolate what’s in Digg’s system. Do we need to wait for Oliver?”

“No. He’ll call me. Let’s go.” Felicity said, taking Steve’s hand.

Steve sighed in relief and held her to him briefly before leading the way towards the car.

 

*

Bruce frowned at the screens. “Digg is responding differently than the other three to whatever is in their system. It’s like he’s in a coma of some sort but not from a brain injury. I’m not sure how long he’s been this way but if that Jane Doe from the hospital was Lyla, it is likely that they have all been given the same drug.”

“Why would he be reacting differently though.” Felicity asked, confused as she looked at what Bruce was scanning through.

“I’m not sure. Maybe something that was already in his system that is counteracting the drug. Do you know if he takes any medication, had any extreme procedure or was dosed with a really strong drug of some sort? Right now, it could be anything that he had taken recently.”

Felicity shook her head. “He doesn’t take any medication nor does he do any drugs. Wait a minute, he was dosed with Vertigo a couple of months ago. That’s the only thing I can think of.”

“What’s Vertigo?” Steve asked. He had been sitting quietly with Natasha, listening to the both of them.

“It was a narcotic that was distributed in Starling City not too long ago, which causes a person to think they are in extreme pain and hallucinate their deepest fears. Oliver managed to stop the man responsible for its production and we haven’t seen the drug since.” Felicity grimaced at the memory of the Count holding a syringe to her neck and the arrows that had come so close to her before being embedded into the Count, killing him.

Steve didn’t like the look that passed over her face. “Were you dosed too?” he asked, horrified at the possibility.

“No. Not me. I was just held at needle point. And not the sewing kind. More like the end of a very sharp syringe.” She said, her head still in her thoughts. When she looked up see Steve’s face aghast, she quickly tried to backpedal. “Oliver killed him to save me. See, I’m all safe now. Oliver was dosed too although with a slightly different version of the drug. You can ask him about it later.”

“What other things have happened to you that I don’t know about?” Steve’s voice was quiet but tormented.

She hated the expression on his face and quickly went to him. “Steve, all that was in the past. What matters is that I’m here now safe and sound with you. Please Steve, let it go.” She searched his eyes, wanting him to relax.

“If I had known that Oliver has taken risks with you that many times before, I would never have let you go with him today. I should have learnt by now that he won’t keep you safe. I’m not going to risk you with him again.” He was royally pissed and not afraid to show it and Felicity didn’t think right now was a good time to argue with him.

Natasha was the one to try to ease the tension, looking at the both of them before quickly asking Bruce. “So, would this Vertigo make a difference for John Diggle?”

Bruce looked at the screens, thinking as he hit a few data points. “Maybe. There could be a link. I need to study this more. Is there any way that I could get this drug to study it?”

Felicity shook her head. “No. It was all destroyed.”

“I can tell you more about it.” Oliver said from the doorway. He had returned from the hospital after Clint and Sam had arrived, wanting to change and take a shower before returning to Digg. He had missed what Steve had said and was confused by the looks that were shot his way.

“I’m guessing you had no luck finding the man.” Steve asked, his voice barely masking the irritation that Oliver had managed to lose him.

Sara and Felicity had tried to use the hospital security and street cams to find the man but there was no trace of him leaving the building. Steve had been livid that Oliver had managed to lose him but Felicity had talked him down. She had tried to defend Oliver, saying that if he had lost sight of the stranger, then that person had been good because there was no way he could have avoided the Arrow otherwise. Oliver wasn’t Steve and didn’t have his super speed, which was probably why the man, whoever he was, hadn’t tried anything in the cafeteria, knowing he wouldn’t be as fast as Steve.

Oliver shook his head. Walking up to Felicity, he looked her over, asking if she was alright.

“I’m fine. And we got what we needed which is more important,” she told him. She glanced at Steve, knowing how agitated he was getting.

Oliver was quiet. All he could think about was that someone was watching her and probably targeting her. They had taken an unnecessary risk at the hospital with her safety so that they could help Digg. But this was feeling more and more like it was planned. Getting Digg out of there had been too easy. Finding him after weeks of searching with no result had been too easy.

He looked at Steve whose fists were clenched by his side. _He’s probably thinking the same thing,_ he thought, not knowing that there were other things on Steve’s mind. Oliver asked himself what these people could want with Felicity and how could they stop them from getting to her? To find these answers, they might need Digg awake and that would be what they would have to focus on for now. That and finding a way to keep the house safe enough because there was no way they were getting to Felicity Smoak. Not if he could help it.

 

* * *

Notes: Well Digg is back but you know what that means right? Trouble around the corner. It was nice to see Felicity working side by side with Oliver again, even for just a short period. So where do you think the story is going to go now? Let me know what you think. Reviews feed my sometimes stuttering muse. Hope you liked the chapter. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	37. Escape

                                   

 

The information Oliver gave Bruce about Vertigo proved invaluable to helping Bruce try to figure out why Digg was different.

He tried to explain his thoughts in layman’s terms to the group in front of him. “When Vertigo causes a person to feel pain and to experience hallucinations, it affects different parts of the brain, especially the thalamus and hypothalamus. These are the centres that control emotions and anger as well as your intellect and retention of memories. It also enables you to plan ahead or to recognize things you have experienced before. If Digg’s brain bears the residual effects of Vertigo, then when he was injected with Mirakuru it didn’t have the same effect on him as it did on others due to the counter effects of both drugs on the brain. They may cancel each other out as Mirakuru cannot cause anger if the brain has already been hyped up before. The thalamus has found a way to protect itself from the same kind of shock effect and the hypothalamus has been conditioned against hallucinations.”

Felicity looked at him open mouthed. “You mean Digg could very well be protected against Mirakuru due to that horrible drug he was poisoned with?”

Oliver’s face was pinched as thought back to the time he was under the influence of Vertigo and what it had done to him. But what Bruce said made sense, in a way, and if this was what was saving Diggle from Roy’s fate, he would take it. “How can we be sure?” he asked.

Bruce shook his head. “We can’t but this is the only viable explanation at the moment. It would explain a lot. Short of injecting Mirakuru into you to test the theory, we are just going to have to go with my guess. I need to try to work this into the anti-serum I’ve created. Felicity, have you any information at all on Vertigo?”

“Yup!” Felicity quickly searched for any data she had when they had tried to test the drug. It wasn’t much but she hoped it would help as she sent it to the main system for Bruce to upload.

“We’ve also received one of the cybernetic implants the Chitauri used. I’m going to start looking at it to see if we can disrupt any connections it makes with the hive mind. Felicity, I may need your help with it a little later.” Tony said, looking back at her as he left the room.

Oliver wanted to get back to Digg but took a second to talk to Felicity. “That man that you saw earlier, he was too fast. I’ve not seen many people move that way before. I don’t like the way he disappeared on me. Can you remember anything else about him? Anything significant?”

Felicity shook her head. “Nothing out of the ordinary except he creeped me out because he was staring. Besides that, he looked like any other person. I’m running a photo I took of him on a Facial Recognition Software that I’ve ‘borrowed’. If anything comes up, I’ll let everyone know.”

“I’ll figure out something so that when you come back to the hospital, you’ll be better protected. We won’t let him near you again.”

“She isn’t going back to the hospital.” Steve interrupted them. “They know where to find her and the hospital is too exposed. It’s too risky for her to go back right now.”

“But Digg is there.” Felicity tried to argue.

“And what would Digg think if you and the baby got hurt because of him? I don’t know Digg as well as you both but I think I know that he would prefer for you to stay safe rather than put yourself in danger. We don’t know what is going on. Till we do, you need to stay here.” Steve could feel the frisson of unease crawling up and down his spine and he sent Oliver a look that said this was non-negotiable.

He was surprised when Oliver reluctantly agreed with him. “Maybe Steve is right and its better that you stay here. Digg wouldn’t forgive himself if anything happened to you. I’ll call you if anything changes with him.”

Felicity looked between the two men, not sure if she was happy with the way they were both teaming up on her. She knew they were right and that it was safer at home so rather than have them worry more, she gave in. “Fine. I’ll stay. But Oliver, please, let me know if anything at all changes with Digg.”

“I will.” Oliver said as he left to go shower and change so that he could get back to the hospital.

 

*

“I don’t understand what you are trying to say.” Felicity said as she looked at Tony confused.

“You’re making me talk about things that I don’t like to bring up Smoakie.” He sighed at the stubborn expression on her face. “Fine. During the Battle of New York, when it looked like the city could not be saved, they sent in a nuke. We were able to close the portal with the Tesseract but before the portal closed, I managed to fly the missile up to the Chitauri mothership. The moment the mothership was destroyed, communication was cut and all the Chitaruri immediately dropped to the ground motionless. Classic example of when you kill the Queen, all drones die.”

Bruce helped continue the train of thought. “If through S.H.I.E.L.D., H.I.V.E. and Deathstroke have managed to figure out how to use the cybernetic implants to control their army, we would need to find out who the person controlling the hive mind is. The Queen Bee.”

“We might be able to see if Bucky can remember anything, even if it’s something vague.” Felicity asked.

Bruce looked towards Bucky. “We can always ask him. I really need to talk to him about those mental implants of his first though. Since they were used to program him, there might still be the possibility that they have the ability to control him remotely. We need to make sure that never happens. If I can find a way to disrupt external electrical impulses that go to his implants, it will be able to stop any involuntary action from him.”

“Worth a try Doc. Let’s go tell him that we want to play doctor on him. He’ll just love it.” Tony said as he marched towards Bucky.

Felicity sighed at the look on Bucky’s face. _Good luck persuading him to let you touch him._

_*_

She was frustrated when the facial recognition software she was running came up naught on the man who had been following her. Wanting to tell Steve, she found him in their room staring out a window. She wound her arms around him, resting her head on his back, breathing in his scent and taking comfort from it. He turned in her arms so that her head was pillowed on his chest, holding her protectively against him. But he wasn’t relaxed and she could feel his tension as he held her. She breathed in slowly, feeling the rise and fall of his chest, encouraging him to relax and when he didn’t, she looked up at him.

There was pure anguish in his eyes as he stared back down at her and she pulled his head down till their breaths were mingling. Laying little kisses on his lips, she murmured that she was safe here with him and that everything was alright.

“It’s not alright. What things have you gone through before you met me? I just wish I had been there to take it all away so that you would have never had to go through it. And now, I know they are watching you and I don’t know why, except that they could hurt you. Felicity, I promise they won’t touch you. I’ll make sure of it.” His voice was hoarse and he closed his eyes as he kissed her, savouring the taste of her lips, his tongue prodding till she opened up for him. He didn’t waste a second, plunging his tongue in and rolling it over her teeth, instantly deepening their kiss till her head spun as she clung to him.

He lifted her slightly so that her feet didn’t touch the floor, her body plastered to his as he walked them to the bed. Setting her gently to the floor, he turned her so that he could unzip her dress, peppering little kisses to her back where the skin was slowly exposed. She shivered when his hands brushed over her skin as he unclasped her bra, kissing her shoulders as he pulled the straps down. She mewled as he reached around to cup her breasts gently, nipping at the nape of her neck before kissing up to her ear.

She turned and grabbed him, pulling him back down for a kiss as she helped him shrug off his jacket. Tugging his t-shirt up over his head, she caressed his abs, making him suck in his breath. She smiled at that and dipped her head, kissing his chest to where she could hear his heart beating fast, planting a hard kiss. Steve groaned, tangling his hands in her hair so that he could pull her up to kiss her. “Felicity, today I need to love you. I need to feel you. Please.” When she nodded, he quickly got rid of the rest of his clothes as she crawled backwards on the bed, staring at him hungrily.

His eyes were heated when he moved to lie next to her, cupping her cheek and caressing it lovingly with his thumb. He gave her a soft kiss before moving to nip her ear, pressing kisses to the sensitive places on her neck that were now so familiar, smiling as he felt her breath hitch each time. Drawing slow circles over her belly, he kissed his way downward, encouraged by every soft noise she made as he explored every inch of her skin, his hands sliding over her, whispering over places that were sensitive, his tongue tracing the same places his fingers had been. “Steve, it’s too much,” her voice shaky from the desire he was creating within her.

He lifted his head to smile at her. “No it’s not.” His hands moved to curl under her panties which were already soaked, pulling them off her legs. Bracketing her leg with his, he slid along her, his breath heating the skin across her stomach as he planted tender little kisses. “So beautiful,” he whispered, his voice reverent as he pressed his cheek to her belly, his fingers moving to explore her swollen folds as he breathed in the musky scent of her desire.

Felicity moaned, the sound deep and guttural as she ground into his hand, already wet and ready for him but he wasn’t done. Feeling the urgent need to taste her, he rolled his tongue downward till it met her warmth, sliding his tongue and puckering his lips over her. She cried out as her hips jerked up and he spread her wider, giving little kisses and flicks with his tongue, till she was a writhing underneath him, unsure if she wanted to jerk away but yet gripping his head to pull him closer.

She heard herself making sounds, although she couldn’t tell you what they were, as he pushed in one then two fingers, pumping them as he curled his fingers and she dug her heels into the bed, her chest heaving as she felt the sensations building. It was when his tongue licked hard over her that she came, her vision whiting out for a moment as she screamed before collapsing flat, feeling him slowly licking at her.

Gripping his head, she pulled his face up, flicking her tongue over his lips so she could taste herself mingled with all him. “I need you Steve,” she whispered into his lips and smiled when he moved over her, her breasts crushed against his chest. He held himself slightly above her as he slowly slid in, his eyes locked with hers. “I love you, Felicity,” he whispered as he gazed down at her, before rocking his hips as he started to move within her.

He made love to her slowly, thrusting toward a slow build as he angled her hips so that he could rub himself against her nub while hitting her at the spot that made her gasp. Running her hands up his back, she never looked away from him, even when their lips locked. It was exquisite, the slow building of sensation as she felt him within her, hard and pulsing and her walls started to flutter, signalling how close she was. Her moans grew louder as he started moving faster and he gripped her hips and legs higher, angling himself differently so he could plunge deeper. She started to see stars as she gripped his arms, and he lifted himself above her so that he could kiss her, their lips melding together as she came, her walls clenching him tightly as screamed against his mouth. He exploded inside her as he came hard, his body stilling from the effort as he poured into her.  

His body shook as he collapsed, trying to make sure not to put all his weight on her. Propping himself up so he could look at her, he kissed her languidly, their noses nuzzling and she smiled as she gazed up at the man she loved so much. “What would I do without you?” she asked him, her fingers brushing over his face.

He flicked his tongue over her lips, dipping the tip into her mouth sweetly. “The question is what would I do without you? I don’t think I could…” He paused and her heart clenched.

“We will not lose each other. Nope. You’re stuck with me.” She told him, trying to lighten the heaviness of his heart.

“l will never let you go. You can be sure of that.” His fingers drew tiny strokes over her face as he traced them with his eyes.

He sighed when there was a knock on the door and Bruce called out. “Sorry to interrupt but we need you both out here urgently. Something has happened at the hospital.”

 

*

“We think it was a car bomb.” Clint said, his voice echoing over the speakers.

“Is anyone hurt?” Felicity prayed desperately that the answer would be no.

“Sara was hurt. She’s being tended to now. We’re not sure of her status but Oliver is with her. I’ll let you know as soon as we find out.” Clint told them.

Felicity felt tears tracking down her cheeks and Steve pulled her to him, whispering that Sara would be fine

“Who’s with Digg and the other three men?” Tony asked. This was either a planned attack to take them out or meant as a diversion.

They could hear Clint breathing hard into the phone as he ran. “Sam is with Digg and Natasha was supposed to be with the other three. But when the explosion happened, Natasha went with Oliver. I’m on my way to their room now.”

“Barton, if you need, I’ll come to you.” Thor told him, lifting his hammer in readiness to leave.

“Well, you can come over. But it’s because I have no idea where the guys are. They’re missing.” Clint sounded frustrated and they could hear him moving fast as he raced towards Digg’s room. “John Diggle is safe. Sam is with him still.”

In fact, Sam had not even been disturbed and had been angrily surprised when told that the other three men were missing.

Felicity mulled it over. “Maybe they knew that the Mirakuru was having no effect on Digg so they didn’t need him.”

“Or they have something else cooked up. I don’t like how they left Digg alone.” Tony frowned, trying to come up with some possibilities.

“Has A.R.G.U.S. come back on the identities of their three men yet?” Steve asked as he tried to deal with what was happening. He was getting into Captain America mode and already on alert.

“They have no idea who they are but they are not part of the Suicide Squad or A.R.G.U.S.”

“This is not good.” Bruce mumbled, his eyes on the ground as thoughts whirled in his head. “We need to bring John Diggle here. They may not have been able to get to him this time but who’s to say they won’t try again. He is the link to finding out what they have planned as well as a cure.”

“Alright. Thor. Can you be the chaperone for the day and bring him here?” Tony asked.

That earned him a dirty look from Thor. “I am a Prince of Asgard, not a chaperone.”

“Oh do it for Felicity before she has her baby right here.” Tony said as Thor’s eyes widened. He grinned as Thor took off hastily. “Guess I know how to make him jump now, Smoakie. Threaten him with childbirth. Clint, Thor is on his way to you.”

“Roger that.” Clint cut off the call immediately after, probably going to prepare to move Digg.

Felicity jumped when her cellphone rang. “Oliver? How’s Sara? Is she going to be okay?”

“She’s going to be alright. She needed a couple of stitches and has scrapes and bruises but she’s lucky she’s still alive.” Oliver sounded tired over the speaker and she realized that he had had hardly any rest at all, running between Digg, the house and now Sara.

“How did she escape the blast?” Steve asked.

Oliver’s voice was hard. “She said she heard something when she turned the key in the ignition and instinctively dived out of the car. The explosion wasn’t immediate and she had time to get as far away as possible.”

“So it wasn’t meant to kill. It was either a warning or a diversion or both.” Steve stilled as he tried to pull his thoughts together, his arms crossed over his chest and his stance becoming defensive. “We need to pull everyone back here just in case. Can you come back with Sara?”

“We’re coming right back once Sara is done here. Natasha is with us.” Oliver responded immediately.

“Good. Because Thor is bringing Digg back here. The hospital is no longer safe for anyone.” Steve told him.

“If this is Hydra, nowhere is safe any longer if they know you are here.” Bucky told them.

 

*

Sara didn’t mind that Oliver was paying such careful attention to her. It was nice having him care after he had been so distant over the last few weeks. She knew that he trusted she could take care of herself, but there were times that she wished he would treat her without her mask getting in the way.

She grimaced when she looked down at the stitches on her arms and legs, sighing to think of the new scars that would be added to her body. She told herself that she should be used to them by now, but vanity sometimes reared its lovely head and she figured that some of these new scars would be harder to hide.

“What’s wrong? Are you in pain?” Oliver asked as guided her gently to their bed. They had returned to the house to immediate bombardment by Felicity who had gently hugged Sara, trying hard not to hurt her. Everyone had come up to tell her that they were glad she was safe and it had made him feel a twinge at their kind acceptance and concern for Sara. Now that they were in the privacy of their room, he could see that Sara was exhausted and he wanted her to rest.

“I’ll be fine. They gave me something for the pain but I’ve had worse.” She tried to brush it off but he wouldn’t have any of it.

“I almost lost you today.” He told her, as he took her face in his hands. He kissed her gently, his eyes emotional.

“Oliver, you’re not going to get rid of me that easily. I’m tougher than you think.” Sara gave him a tired smile as she tried to joke.

Oliver jaw clenched. “How could I not know how tough you are? But we are not infallible Sara, and I’m not ready to lose you.” He looked at her fiercely. “Do you believe me?”

He kissed her hard when she nodded, dragging her into his arms so he could hold her close. No he wasn’t going to lose her or anyone else. They were going to have to figure out how to get to these people who were trying to hurt them.

 

*

Felicity smoothed her hand over Digg’s brow as Steve came up and hugged her from behind.

“He’ll be fine here. Bruce is going to run some tests on him and try to figure out how to get him awake safely,” he told her quietly as he tugged her from the room.

“At least he’s here, safe with us.” Felicity said as she closed the door to the bedroom.

Steve sighed, his hands reaching out for hers. “That’s the thing. I’m not sure if any of us is safe here anymore. But we have resolved to fight them if they come at us. I’m thinking maybe I should have Thor bring you some place safe.”

Felicity shook her head emphatically. “I am not leaving you Steve Rogers. Where you go, I go. You’re not going to cart me off and face this alone. We will face this together.”

“Felicity.” Steve wanted to argue his point but stopped when he saw her stubborn expression.

“Our family stays together, Steve. If they are looking for me, then wherever I go, they will find me. I’m safest right here with you.” She told him fiercely.

Steve pulled her to his chest, his arms tightening around her. He didn’t like having his family or his team threatened. He wished this was all over but he knew he would have to steel himself, knowing that the storm was yet to hit them and he wasn’t looking forward to its arrival. If this was Hydra, then he had to be ready. They all did.

 

* * *

Notes: It still continues to amaze me that so many of you are still sticking with this story. For those who comment, thank you so much for letting me know your thoughts as to the story and the characters. Your comments do make me sit back and think when I write and they are important and appreciated. Warm smiles back at ya!


	38. Found and Lost

                  

 

“Was it you that planted the bomb?” Felicity asked Natasha worriedly, thinking back to her request that Nat help get Oliver to see how much he cared for Sara.

Natasha gave her a pained look. “No, it wasn’t. I don’t think you would have forgiven me if I killed her now, would you? Besides, anyone could have used that car and I wouldn’t have risked hurting any of our team.”

Felicity felt really bad, knowing she should have more faith in Natasha. “I’m sorry, Nat. I should know better. It’s just that everything is happening at once.”

“We’ll figure things out. How are you dealing with all this? We have to find a way to handle your stress as it’s not good for you or the baby.” Natasha’s eyes were sharp as they assessed her.

Felicity gave a small shrug. “I feel okay. But then, I usually stress eat which I can’t do right now since I’m sick to my stomach all the time. I can’t drink any coffee to perk me up. Maybe I can just gorge on mint chocolate chip ice cream? That’ll surely help my stress levels. That and relaxing in front of Netflix.” Felicity grinned when Natasha rolled her eyes. Becoming more serious, she shyly looked up. “I’ve been meaning to ask you something.”

Natasha quirked an eyebrow. “Ask me what?”

“Every time we talk about babies or you see a mother with newborn, it seems to upset you a little. I’m not sure why but I don’t want me being pregnant to upset you.” Felicity was a little hesitant bringing the subject up, knowing how private Natasha was. So she was more than a little surprised when Natasha actually decided to talk about it.

“I can’t have children, Felicity. When they turned me into an assassin, they made sure of it, so that nothing could get in the way of a mission. But sometimes, I have a yearning and I ask myself, what if.” Natasha shook her head, her lips pursed. “It’s a stupid thought.”

“Oh Nat! I’m so sorry I brought it up. And how can it be stupid, you wanting a child? I can’t even imagine how difficult this must be for you knowing that I’m pregnant. I’m so sorry.” Felicity gave Nat a hug and was surprised when Natasha relaxed into the hug instead of holding herself stiff.

“It’s alright. I’m really happy for you and Steve. I guess I can live vicariously through you both. Who knows, I might even babysit, when I have the time.” Nat had a tiny smile on her face.

“I would love that.” Felicity’s smile was huge and she giggled imagining Natasha and diaper changes. She wasn’t quite sure if Natasha was ready for that yet.

 

*

“I think the bomb was a distraction so that they could get to those men. They could have done much worse damage or tried to take more of us out.” Natasha turned towards Bucky. “Barnes, you said you recognised one of them?”

Bucky had already tried to recollect where he had seen the man before but had come up with nothing. “I don’t remember. I just know his face.”

Oliver looked at him with disbelief. “How convenient. We find this man with Digg and you say you’ve seen him before but you don’t know where. Now he’s gone and could have been an important clue. What exactly are you playing at? Are you in on this?”

“I’m not a part of this.” Bucky answered with a growl. “He could have been anyone. Either I worked with him or he was a target before. My programing has become unstable since I’ve left Hydra and I get memories in flashes or things seem familiar. I just don’t know anymore.” He got up angrily, wanting to leave the room full of stares.

“Bucky, it’s fine. Please, just stay.” Steve asked him and Bucky shifted on his feet before relenting, taking a seat again. “Alright, so they wanted those men back and they weren’t from A.R.G.U.S. Doc, was there anything in their bloodwork or records that made them special?”

“Maybe they were being tested on with something different from Mirakuru. They had the same unknown chemicals in their system that the lady we think was Lyla had.” Bruce had been working on identifying the chemical combination, trying to figure out what it did.

“Also who was that man who was watching Felicity? He moved way too fast but he didn’t try to attack any of us.” Oliver asked, remembering the speed and agility the man had.

“Felicity is new to the team. Maybe they are trying to suss out what she’s doing here and how important she is, especially to Cap.” What Clint said made sense and Steve held Felicity’s hand protectively.

Steve knew how Hydra worked and he wasn’t liking the way this was going. “If H.I.V.E. or Hydra is trying to find our weak spots, then they are planning their move soon. We are a threat to them which means that they might try to take us out. Let’s continue working on what we have and we can talk to Digg when he wakes.”

 

*

Felicity stood with her mouth open, staring at the suit in front of her. “This is for me? How am I supposed to put this on?”

“Well, technically, it’ll put itself on. No zippers, buttons, clips. Easy. All you need to do is wear these bracelets and command it.” Tony said, grinning at her.

“Oh wow. But why doesn’t it look like your suit? It’s kind of round in the middle. Am I going to be a walking Marshmallow Man?” Felicity asked as she stared at the odd shape in front of her.

“What? That’s a good look!” Tony held up his hands when she gave him a frustrated look. “I had to factor in that your baby would grow bigger and so would your belly. This isn’t like my suit Smoakie. It doesn’t have weapons or any or the other fancy stuff. It’s just meant to keep you and the baby safe till one of us can get to you. Bruce made sure he gave input too. He was very emphatic about quite a few things.”

“Oh Tony. I’m being ungrateful, aren’t I? I do love it and I love that you made this for me. Thank you!” Felicity gave a small sniffle as she hugged him.

He gave her a quick hug back. “Don’t let Cap see us. I don’t want a black eye. I’m going to get Romanov to test this for you first to make sure it’s good to fly. She’s about the same size as you so the suit will not be a stretch.”

“I can’t wait for Steve to see this. Hopefully he’ll love it.” Felicity said as she ran her hands over her very own suit.

 

*

Oliver wasn’t good at waiting and it was even worse when he had to sit and watch one of his best friends lying motionless in front of him. “Come on Digg. You have to fight this and wake up. We need to find Lyla and Roy is somewhere out there too. We need you with us so you’re going to have to wake up because we can’t do this without you.” Oliver growled out, feeling helpless.

“Digg’s a fighter.” Sam said from behind Oliver. “And the Doc is the best. He’ll find a way to wake Digg up.”

Oliver gave a small nod, his eyes still on Digg lying on the bed in front of him. “I’ve just never seen him this way before.” Oliver said slowly, recognising how vulnerable his friend looked. Digg had always been a pillar of strength, both physically and mentally for Oliver and this was definitely not how he wanted to see his friend.

He turned when he heard Felicity call his name softly as she entered the room. She came to stand beside the bed next to him, taking Digg’s hand in hers. “Has he even stirred?” she asked.

“No, but Banner said that if whatever he used works, he should come out of this within the next few hours.” Oliver’s said, his voice low.

They were quiet for a while till Felicity tilted her head to look at him. “How’s Sara? Does she need anything?”

Oliver shook his head. “She’s fine. She’s just resting. Which is what you should be doing too.”

Felicity nodded, but more to herself. “Yes, I should. But I can’t seem to sit still. Everyone is worried and I need to help.”

“Fe-li-city,” Oliver gave her a concerned look, “you won’t be able to help if you are not in a fit state. The Avengers are good at what they do. Maybe you should learn to leave it in their hands for a bit.”

“Since when did you become so smart?” Felicity smiled at him.

He smirked at her. “I was born with it. The famous Queen intelligence.”

They smiled at each other, both noticing how much less awkward things were between them now for which they were both grateful.

Digg woke three hours later, weak and extremely disorientated. “We need to hold off on asking him questions. Give him some time to adjust to being awake. He’s been in some kind of induced state of unconsciousness for days and his body needs time to readjust to an awakened state.” Bruce told everyone, asking them to back off. Oliver and Sam sat with Digg, asking Felicity to please get some rest.

 

*

“You’re working yourself too hard.” Steve said, frustrated that Felicity was still sitting in front of her computers, searching for any clue at all on anything to do with what had happened in the past few days.

“We need something to go on. And I’m the best you have in finding what we need. I just need to dig a little deeper because I’m sure there’s something I’m missing.” Felicity’s fingers flew across the keyboard, pulling up screen after screen as she scanned the data she had already plied through, hoping to find something she might have missed before.

Steve turned Felicity’s chair around so that she was facing him. “Sweetheart, please. You’re beginning to worry me. Tell me what’s going on?”

“Digg is going to realise that Lyla is not here and he’s going to worry himself sick about her and the baby. And we still haven’t figured out where Roy is. It’s been weeks and we don’t even know if he’s still alive. Now they are watching us and attacking in places we never thought would be dangerous. Sara has been hurt and we don’t know who will be next. And I’m worried that they’re going to find out about our baby. Worse of all, we can’t figure out who they trying to attack in DC. I can’t imagine a worse mess to be in.” Felicity sucked in a breath after her panicked spiel, her face stricken.

Steve pulled her into his arms. “Sweetheart, you need to relax.” He started stroking her back, trying to ease the tension he felt in her. “Digg is already awake and we just need to wait a little to see what he knows. If there is any chance that he knows where Lyla is, we’ll follow it and get her back. Roy too. For now, you need to slow down. You can’t do this alone.”

“I know, I know. I promise I will rest. As soon as we talk to Digg.” Felicity rubbed her nose against his chest. “Sorry, I just needed to have a little meltdown and I’m back to good ole me.” She looked up to see him frowning at her and sighed. “Okay, stepping away from my babies. How about we go sit with Digg?”

“How about you try to eat something first. I’ve a feeling you’re not going to want to eat anything after we’ve talked to him.” Steve told her, pulling her towards the kitchen.

“You know me way to well.” She told him, smiling.

He gave her a quick kiss. “Well a man should know the woman he loves, don’t you think.”

 

*

To say Digg was upset that Lyla was not with them would have been an understatement. He sat with his head in his hands, feeling helpless because he didn’t know where she was. Felicity sat beside him as he tried to deal with his anger and frustration until he was ready to talk. Unlike Oliver, Digg was not impulsive and wasn’t about to charge out looking for her. He knew they needed to plan.

He told them everything he remembered from the last few weeks, how they had followed the leads from the last time which had led him to a man that had disappeared suddenly after meeting him. Before disappearing, his contact had mentioned an old building which had housed a large chemical production company. When they had checked, it had been empty, but they had suspected that it had been used by Slade to create more Mirakuru.

It had been sheer luck that they had found the tunnels under the factory and had followed them. That was when they had been discovered and taken prisoner, held in a place that seemed to have a lot of medical equipment. But it was an old building, at least the room they were kept in was old, before they were taken and some of them injected with Mirakuru. He didn’t have any recollection of what happened after but he hadn’t seen Lyla since they had been taken, so he didn’t know if she had been injected or not.

“Probably not.” Bruce told him. “They know she’s with child and they want her for something else. We need to try to find her and soon. This is why they can’t know about Felicity.”

“What are you saying? Felicity, are you pregnant?” Digg asked shocked.

“You’ve missed a lot, Digg. Not only is she expecting, she’s also engaged to my man here.” Sam told him, tilting his head in Steve’s direction.

Digg would have been much happier for Felicity if he wasn’t so worried about Lyla. “You go girl. When you decide to make some life changes, you sure know how to do it in a big way. What did Banner mean when he said they wanted to try to get to you? ”

“I think we need to get you caught up on a lot of things, Digg.” Oliver said, knowing that Digg was about to become an even unhappier man.

 

*

“Alright, we have more to go on. Old medical facility, chemical production plant at this address with access to tunnels and anything that is within the main city area. What can we find, ladies?” Tony said as he watched Felicity and Maria accessing company information, floor plans, tunnel accesses and anything else they could get their hands on.

Felicity was the first to find something. “I have something that might fit. This is an old hospital built over quite a few of the old tunnel systems with the subway nearby. There’s a brand new hospital built just across the street so that would double up on medical facilities. It’s not that far from the address that Digg gave us. The only thing is I don’t see an area big enough to house an army.”

“Awesome work, Smoakie. This may actually be the place that Diggle saw. I wouldn’t worry about housing an army. If H.I.V.E. has managed to figure out how to use the Chitauri tech, they can easily have everyone in different locations, assembling only when needed. It would make sense.” Tony told her as he stared at the maze of tunnels and rooms in front of him. “We need to cross reference all our famous boys and girls with the hospitals patient list.”

“Right on it.” Felicity said, already typing in a list of commands to set up a program.

“After that, you’re going to go rest and let Jarvis do the rest of the work. We’ll call you if your babies sing a lullaby. And wear those bracelets I gave you.” Tony told her crossly when he saw that she wasn’t wearing them.

 

*

It was the ping on her phone that woke her. She was cocooned safely within Steve’s warmth as he slept, his arms and legs thrown over her so that she wouldn’t leave the bed without him knowing. He woke when she shifted to grab her phone, immediately alert. “What is it?” he asked.

“I set up a program to cross check against the list of important government officials against patients within the hospital. It’s telling me that they have a list of potential people.” Felicity turned her face so that she could nuzzle him with her nose.

Kissing her gently, he ran his tongue over the little seam of her lips, dipping it in when she parted them. She groaned as she placed her hands on his face, pulling him closer as she kissed him before pushing him away. “I need to go check what the computers have found. And I won’t want to leave if we keep doing this.”

Pressing his forehead to hers, he sighed and gave her a quick kiss before letting her get up. When Felicity got going, there was no stopping her. But he would need to have another little chat with Bruce. Maybe even get him to give Felicity a quick exam to make sure that everything was fine because he didn’t think she was getting enough rest or food in her.

 

*

“He’s the most probable target. I don’t think we’re wrong.” Clint said firmly, scanning the list of names again.

“The Secretary of State? What damage could they do by targeting him?” Oliver asked, his brows knitted in a frown.

“Quite a lot actually. Not only would US Foreign Affairs take a huge hit, it would send a message that they could get to one of the highest ranking members of the government. And he would be a much easier target that the President.” Bruce told them.

Sam considered this for a minute before asking. “Would they try to attack him at the hospital? Bucky said they would try to keep as close as possible to the target.”

They all turned to look at Bucky who sat there quietly watching them. “Hydra is not known for being subtle. Attacking such a public place would prove a point if they were successful in their assassination.” He shifted, looking back at the faces staring at him. “You can choose not to believe me.”

“I believe you.” Steve told him.

Bucky gave him a small smile, the tell-tale shadow on his face lightening a bit which Felicity was glad to see.

“We need to alert the authorities to this so that they can take measures. They already know we are here.” As usual, Maria had been quick to resolve the aftermath of the car bomb incident and the fact that the Avengers were in town. The authorities were not impressed and it only spelled more trouble for them when they couldn’t exactly explain what they were doing in DC. “I might let A.R.G.U.S. handle it since it was them who started looking into it.”

Steve didn’t think it would help them much. They had seen the mayhem created in Starling City and it was possible that it would be recreated here, that is unless they managed to find Deathstroke first. The team agreed that they needed to search the underground area but this time, they expected to encounter more trouble.

 

*

“Drones are picking up some form of activity ahead and heat signatures. At least six. Be careful.” Maria told them.

“Only six? Is it a repair crew?” Clint said quietly into his comm.

“Unlikely but you never know.” Maria responded as she watched Felicity include plans of other tunnels than ran nearby.

“There is a subway line running nearby to your left. There might be an access to the subway tunnels from where you are.” Felicity told them.

“Good to know.” Natasha said as she flattened herself against a wall and peeked around the corner. There was a little light filtering down from distant bulbs and they were casting moving shadows which made it difficult to see movement ahead. It was so quiet that any noise they made took away the element of surprise and they were more concerned about being ambushed.

The soldiers that they came across had eyes that were wild and bearing little sign of humanity. But they were still fast and strong and the Avengers soon found that they had difficulty fighting in the narrow enclosed space.

Thor rammed into the first soldier, slamming his hammer into him which brought him down quickly but also caused part of the ceiling to rain down on them.

“Make sure you don’t get us killed too!” Clint yelled at him, shooting an arrow into a soldier before somersaulting and kicking him in the chin. He had to move aside when Steve’s shield whizzed past. “Watch it Cap!” he yelled out as he kicked out into the knee of the crazy who was trying to aim a punch at him.

Natasha had run up a wall and spun into a side flip but she couldn’t get above her opponent or onto his shoulders. She struggled within his hold before managing to get her arm loose so that she could jam a syringe into him. It still took him a while to stay down though and she almost put a bullet into his head before Steve stopped her. “Natasha, no. We won’t kill them if we can.”

Not being able to use his gun in case he hit one of the team, Bucky swung his metal arm into the abdomen of the soldier charging him. Although there was a loud “oof,” the soldier managed to pick himself up and slam into Bucky’s chest, lifting him up with both arms. Bucky clubbed him on the back and threw himself backwards, kicking up as the soldier flew over his head so that he smashed into the ceiling above. Stunned, the soldier fell to the ground shaking his head to clear it, not seeing Bucky jump up and ram his arm into the back, his gun pointed as the soldier’s head.

“Bucky no!” Steve yelled out, afraid that Bucky would kill him. He watched as his friend hesitated, glancing up before knocking the soldier out with a resounding thud.

“Guys, we are picking up more heat signatures but they are moving away from you.” Maria told them.

“I’ll go after them.” Steve said as he ran down the tunnel, Bucky at his side.

“Captain. You need to wait for backup.” Maria told him, knowing that Oliver, Natasha and Clint would not be able to keep up.

“Go! I’ll handle these men.” Thor told the rest as he threw his hammer, knocking a soldier down.

“Cap, wait up. We’re right behind you.” Natasha panted into the comms. “We need directions. It’s becoming too dark to see. Which way did they go?”

“Take the left fork!” Steve told them.

“I think we’re near the train tracks.” Oliver panted as he heard the rumble of a subway train pass by.

“Steve? Where are you? You need to wait for back up!” Felicity asked anxiously.

“No time. They are heading towards a station. We need to stop them before they disappear.” Steve said, the sounds of a train getting loud through the comms.

“There are too many of them for you and Barnes to handle alone. Wait for the rest!” Maria told him firmly.

“Can’t! This may be our only hope of finding Deathstroke. We need to stop them.” Steve panted, before they heard the sound of fighting start again.

Felicity held her breath, not wanting to distract Steve and hoping that the rest would catch up to them soon. She watched the screens, noting that the rest were almost there. But then Steve and Bucky’s comms buzzed with static before briefly going silent. “Steve? Steve?” Felicity started getting more anxious when he didn’t respond.

Maria shook her head when they couldn’t raise Bucky either. “Widow, do you see them?” Maria asked when Natasha and the rest arrived on scene.

“No. There’s no sign of them. Where did they go?” Natasha said, looking around her at the empty tracks.

Felicity felt her heart plummet when Maria said. “We don’t know. We’ve lost contact.”

 

 


	39. Rubble

                                     

 

“Cap? Barnes? Where are you?” Natasha called out over the comms but there was just the sound of static.

“There could be interference.” Clint said as he started down the tunnel, looking for clues as to where they could have gone. Oliver took off in the opposite direction, searching for any doors or openings they may have missed.

Thor had arrived and Natasha tilted her head in the direction she wanted him to head. “Raven. Anything from the drones?”

“Still searching but all heat signatures have all disappeared.” Maria frowned, finding it very odd.

Felicity turned to Tony who was standing behind her, trying her best to stay calm. “I don’t understand how they are just gone.”

“The drones are built to search only. Where were they again before they disappeared?” he asked, staring at the map on the screen in front of him and pointed to a spot. “Were they here? Next to the train tracks?” When Felicity nodded, he told her they might have got on the train that they had heard passing by. “I’m going to go check it out.” He said as he deployed his suit and took off. “Let me know which train and where it is.”

“Stark thinks they might have boarded the train. Carry on your search of the area.” Raven told the rest as Felicity quickly found the information for Tony.

“Which train…?” Clint asked before being interrupted by Steve’s voice over the comms.

“On the train… too many.. Thor, need you here.” Steve gasped out, the sound of grinding metal in the background.

“They’re near Pentagon station. You need to get to them fast.” Maria told them urgently as she listened to all hell breaking lose over the communications systems from the Metro’s station control.

“And how are we supposed to do that?” Clint asked as he looked around. They were too far away and the trains had been brought to an emergency halt. “Thor, you go. We’ll find another way.”

 

*

Steve and Bucky had chased the soldiers down to the tracks, Steve ignoring Maria’s instructions to wait for Natasha and Clint to catch up. He knew that if he let them get away, they might lose their chance at finding Deathstroke. He couldn’t take that risk, not with them trying to get to Felicity.

He saw the lights of a train fast approaching them and watched as the soldiers ducked behind an opening in the wall. Grabbing Bucky, they threw themselves against an indent in the wall as the train passed by them with just seconds to spare. With the train traveling past, the soldiers ripped the door off the back of the train and climbed on board.

Sprinting after the train, Steve tried to let Maria know that they were in pursuit but the comms were silent as if they were being jammed. Bucky grabbed the side of the open door, swinging himself into the train with Steve following suit, flinging himself into a dive and skidding along the floor of the train where he came to a halt at the feet of a terrified passenger.

Bucky managed to get to his feet first and ran towards the first soldier, his left fist slamming into his arm as he kicked out with his foot.

Steve yelled at everyone to get out of the way, as he jumped over passengers, some cowering under their seats. Grabbing onto a ceiling rail, he swung himself into a crazy, kicking him backwards and slammed his shield into him, knocking him down. The only problem was that he didn’t have any syringes with him, having left them with Natasha, Clint and Oliver. “Raven? Meta? Do you read me?” he yelled into his comms, frustrated when he got no response.

Instead of using his guns, Bucky grabbed onto a handrail, ripping it out and swung it at the soldier he was fighting. Steve yelled at him to watch out for the passengers but Bucky ignored him. He was in Winter Soldier mode, no care for anyone else that he may hurt. He impaled the soldier, driving the rail through him as he ran him backwards into a window. Whipping around, he flung a knife at a soldier’s head, embedding it between his eyes, killing him instantly.

Trying to avoid passengers, Steve ducked as a fist came towards him, rolling onto a seat and kicking out with two legs. The soldier was kicked back hard into the seats opposite, stunned for a second before he shook his head to clear it, launching himself back at Steve. It was then that Steve realized that they weren’t going to staying down unless they were killed. He shook his head determined that he wouldn’t be taking a life, not if he could help it. The problem was that he couldn’t use his shield as much as he wanted to within the confines of the train, not with all these passengers.

Looking frantically around for something else to use, he watched in horror as Bucky lifted his metal arm, knowing what Bucky was about to do. “Bucky, Stop!” he cried out but he was too late as Bucky let loose an EMP pulse, the energy disrupting the electronics of the train.

The driver struggled to gain control as all systems went down and the train started speeding up along the tracks. Nothing was working. He couldn’t use the emergency brake systems nor could he call station control as the radio had been fried. He prayed that there were no trains ahead as he whizzed past the next station, watching people running away as the train sped by.

Trying again, Steve yelled into the comms. “We’re on the train… There are too many soldiers. Thor, need you here.” He felt the train round a bend, metal screeching as the train started to lurch. Finally, he heard Tony call out over the comms. “Stark, the train, it’s running off the tracks. You need to get to us before we crash.”

He barely heard Tony reply, his only thought was being able to get the passengers to safety but how? The train jerked and started to slow but not enough. “Stark?”

“This heap of junk is not stopping.” Tony gasped out, firing his boot blasters in the effort to slow the train from the front.

“Hold on Stark.” Thor flung his hammer at the base of the train, hoping to find a way to get the train to brake.

“Thor, shoot a bolt at me!” Tony yelled out.

“What?” Thor asked confused.

“Just do it! There’s no time!” Tony told him, relieved when Thor shot a large bolt of energy toward him, powering his systems to three hundred percent. Planting his feet onto the tracks, Tony braced himself against the train and pushed, his suit blasting towards the train gradually bringing it to a halt.

“Way to go Tony!” he heard Felicity cheer over the comms and he let out a relieved laugh.

Ripping into the train, he flew at a soldier, picking him up and flying him down the tracks towards the next station. He needed to get him out in the open and away from people.

 

*

“You need to get to the Pentagon City Mall. How far out are you?” Maria asked.

Felicity wondered at how Maria never seemed panicked, always calm and focused. She heard Clint say they were two minutes out and wondered whose car they had stolen _. Whoever the owner is, he or she is going to be so pissed._

Bruce shook his head on awe as he stood behind them watching the feed from the mall’s cameras. “There’s more of them. Why attack a public place like this?”

Sam fidgeted, craving to go help but knowing he couldn’t leave their side. “Deathstroke is drawing them out.”

The images on the security camera were hard to follow and with Tony occupied fighting his own soldier, they didn’t have other eyes on the ground. They watched as Bucky leapt over the railing to the level below, his feet touching the floor for a mere second before rolling and slicing the leg of one of Deathstroke’s soldiers, bringing him down and ramming his metal arm into his throat.

Steve and Thor had chased the remaining soldiers from the train up into the mall and Thor had since taken two of them out with his hammer. “Captain, you need to stop worrying about killing them. Do what you must to bring them down.” Thor told Steve as he flung Mjolnir at a soldier’s back, watching him disappear over the balcony to another floor below them.

Arrows whizzed past Steve, embedding into more of the crazies and Steve smiled with relief when he saw Clint and Oliver, the anti-serum with them. “It took you long enough to get here.”

“And who was the one who took off on us?” Natasha asked before jumping onto the shoulders of the first soldier she came across, slamming a syringe into his neck.

“Doc, do you need me to bring back any of these whackjobs?” Tony asked as he managed to keep a grip on one of them, already out for the count having been injected with the serum.

“No. Not in the house.” Steve said emphatically, worried about having any of Deathstroke’s soldiers near Felicity.

“Oh, I have other options for keeping them there. No danger.” Tony told him, understanding his concerns.

“Well, you better get him out of here now.” Clint told Tony, watching as the police rushed up the stairs, almost surrounding them. Tony took off with the crazy in hand, waving a goodbye.

“Arrow, get out of here now.” Natasha said to Oliver quickly, watching him slip away. “I’m guessing Hill, that you’re going to be very busy soon getting us out of this mess.” She said as she stood calmly watching the police approach them with their weapons raised.

Maria gritted her teeth with frustration as she watched the cameras. “Why are they pointing their weapons at us instead of at the real cause of trouble?”

“Maybe because they are mostly down for the count.” Felicity winced at the look Maria shot her before she tried to contact the relevant authorities so that the Avengers could take their leave. She had just managed to patch through to right person when she felt the house shake, the ceiling starting to crumble around them. “What the hell?” she gasped out, flying toward Felicity and dragging her towards the nearest door. “We have to get out of here!”

Sam tried to reach them, a chunk of cement from the ceiling falling in front of him.

“Sam, get Sara.” Felicity screamed at him, before being pulled out through the doorway.

Steve heard the commotion over the comms, his heart stopping for a split second. He tried to move but the guns trained on him made him pause. Thor looked at him out the corner of eye before launching himself upwards, disappearing towards the house. Steve prayed that Thor could get there in time. “Stark, you need to get to her.” he pleaded into the comms.

“Load is dropped. Almost there.” Tony said as he pushed his suit to go faster. He gasped as he looked below him at what had been his house. All he saw was a pile of rubble and collapsed beams. Flying down, he grabbed the biggest beam he could find, trying to find any of the team beneath. “Felicity! Hill! Banner!” he yelled out frantically as he lifted chunk after chunk of what had been his home.

“Have you found her?” Steve called out, his voice frantic.

“Hold on Cap.” Tony replied, refusing to give up as he pulled away what had once been a wall. He was worried that the house would collapse inwards and prayed that whatever was supporting the load would hold.

Thor arrived and started to help, digging as far as he could, hopeful that he could find them. He saw a beam push up and a mass of rubble tumble down, a massive roar sounding beneath.

“Hulk!” Tony cried out with relief as everything exploded outwards, the Hulk slamming his way through, Maria and Sam with him. “Where’s Felicity?” Tony asked as Steve held his breath as he listened to what was going on.

“I’m here.” Felicity called out, her voice strangely tinny as she emerged with her suit on, pulling Sara and Digg out with her. “I really like my suit.” She told Tony as he laughed and went to help her.

 

*

It had taken way too long for Steve to be given the go ahead to leave the chaos at the mall. He had been questioned by the police and the FBI and another agency whose name he was not told, not that he cared. He needed to get to Felicity and was becoming increasingly frustrated, almost deciding to take off before realizing that it would get them into more trouble.

Everyone from the house had been taken to hospital to be checked for any serious injuries, the emergency crews and paramedics who had arrived on scene ignoring their reassurances that they were fine. As one firefighter had told them nastily after being scared to death by the Hulk, “You had a house collapse on you. Isn’t it better that you at least get checked out?”

How could Tony and Bruce argue with that when they looked at the bruised and scraped faces in front of them?

The moment Steve arrived, still in his uniform, he strode quickly into the emergency room, demanding to know where Felicity Smoak was. The lady at the desk looked up at Captain America in awe and pointed wide eyed towards a set of doors. “She’s right through there,” she stammered, rising to her feet as she watched the first avenger walk away. “Wow! I just met Captain America. Who is this Felicity Smoak?”

Felicity looked up at the commotion, smiling when she saw Steve striding toward her. The Doctors and Nurses sighed as they watched another Avenger approach, already frazzled by the group they were trying to attend to, especially with Tony Stark breathing down their necks.

Steve bent down to kiss her, but not before he checked if she was alright, relieved that he didn’t see any injuries. “You can never stay out of trouble can you?” He tried to joke although failing badly, his eyes stricken he hugged her to him.

“Well, at least we know that Tony’s suit worked.” Felicity smiled as she hugged him back.

“And for that I owe him so much.” Steve said, smiling as he looked towards where Tony was standing, glaring at a doctor.

“Steve, I had to tell the doctors I’m pregnant. They wanted to take x-rays and I had no choice. I’m sorry.” Felicity said, worried that he would be upset since they had been so empathic about keeping it a secret.

“It’s okay Sweetheart. All that matters is that you and the baby are safe. We’ll deal with the rest later.” Steve told her, moving aside as a doctor came to talk to them.

“Everything looks alright and besides a little too much excitement, mother and baby are fine. Ms Smoak should be able to leave as soon as she wants.” the doctor assured them. Steve said a grateful thank you, helping Felicity to get dressed so that they could go check on the rest.

Besides having some nasty cuts and bruises, the rest had been lucky that they hadn’t been more seriously injured. Apparently the Hulk and Felicity had managed to shelter them when the building collapsed, pulling them to safety after.

“Where are we going now?” Felicity asked Tony. Everything they had brought with them was now buried under a pile of rubble which meant they would have to figure out where else they could go.

“I don’t think a hotel is going to be a good idea, not that they would want to take us.” Maria said, looking around at them.

“Guess you can all crowd in my place. It’s small and it won’t be comfortable, but it’ll do for now.” Sam told them.

“Alright. Let’s go to Sam’s. I’ve always wanted to see what a miniscule bachelor pad looks like.” Tony bared his teeth in a smile as Sam shot him a very nasty look.

 

*

Felicity felt a sense of déjà vu as she walked into Sam’s home. So much had happened since she had last been here and she smiled remembering the carefree days when she had first met Steve. _Well, I was never short on excitement when on Team Arrow and I won’t be having many quiet days with the Avengers either._ She snorted and Steve looked at her with amusement.

“Thinking about the last time we were here?” he asked, as if reading her mind. When she nodded, he looked around as if remembering himself. “Do you ever regret meeting me? I’ve changed your life so much since then and brought you nothing but trouble.”

Felicity wanted to shake the silly man standing in front of her. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his waist, tipping her head up so she could kiss him. “Never Steve. How could you even think I’d ever regret meeting you? And miss the opportunity to be head over heels in love with such an incredible man? By the way, I’ve always been a magnet for trouble, even when on Team Arrow. You can probably expect more too.”

She giggled when Tony yelled at them to please stop their constant public displays of affection in such small close quarters. Yup, they were going to be in for some fun times, all the Avengers and Team Arrow squeezed into Sam’s small home. Steve pulled her toward the couch so that she could sit and rest while they waited for everyone else to arrive.

Maria joined him in the small kitchen, a knowing look on her face. “What’s wrong, Captain?”

Steve wondered whether he could trust her. He didn’t know Maria Hill as well as he wanted but she was pragmatic and a way better option to confide his thoughts with than Tony. “The attack on the house was obviously planned. If not for the Hulk and Felicity with Tony’s suit, you all could be dead by now.” He closed his eyes for a moment, gathering himself. “On the train, Bucky was the one that made it lose control. He fired his electromagnetic charge fired the train’s circuits. Hill, he endangered the lives of everyone on that train and killed those soldiers without any remorse. I can’t read him anymore and I don’t know what he will do next.”

“Captain, the fact is that we don’t know what they are planning or who will be their next target. We must take precautions and be vigilant, even with the ones we really want to trust.” She looked at him and waited till he curtly nodded that he understood what she was trying to say. “You need to believe that we’ll find a way to handle this.”

Steve gave her a look. “And just how are we going to do that?”

“I don’t have an answer to that right now but we will find a way Captain.”

 

 


	40. Disruption

 

“They actually managed to find some incredibly beautiful shots of you.” Natasha said, perusing the articles that had suddenly exploded all over the internet. “They could have used more creative headers though. Ugh. ‘Captain America Visits Girlfriend in Hospital’ isn’t going to cut it.”

Felicity buried her head in her hands. This was all too much to take in right now with everything else that was going on.

“Well, at least they don’t know you’re pregnant.” Clint said as he looked over Natasha’s shoulders at the tabloid fodder.

“If we’re being realistic, it will only be a matter of time till someone finds out.” Bruce told them.

Steve felt disgusted with himself. He had put Felicity in danger by going to the hospital in his uniform. He had not thought it through and only reacted to his need to make sure she was safe. Now, everything could be blown.

Felicity grabbed his arm and pulled him to her, wrapping her arms around his waist. “Steve Rogers. I know that look and I’m telling you now that this is not your fault.”

“She’s right. There is much more going on and everyone needs their head in the game to stop it.” Felicity turned toward the voice that she didn’t recognise.

“Fury. Nice of you to drop in.” Tony said sarcastically.

“Well, I couldn’t exactly sit and watch all of you mucking around so much so I came to help.” The look Fury sent Tony was mocking which set him immediately on edge. “Before we talk about anything else, we need to get all of you moved to a safe site. I have one that would suit all of you perfectly.”

 

*

“Isn’t this the same facility you were holed up in the last time we found you?” Steve asked looking around.

“It’ll do for now. Its location is still unknown which is what all of you need with all the attention you are getting at the moment.” Fury walked them though the rooms. It was large and although sparse, comfortable enough. It would have to do.

It was imperative that they discuss everything all that had happened over the last few hours and what they wanted to do now.

Tony was the first one to speak, as usual. “It was definitely a set up. They knew exactly where to lead us. And they attacked my house. How many houses am I going to lose?”

“It does look like they wanted to draw us out in the open. Otherwise they would have just stayed hidden in the tunnels.” Clint added.

“But why harm the people on the train or at the great mall? I would think they would prefer to stay hidden.” Thor asked, not understanding the reasoning.

Fury responded to Thor’s question. “They know you are here to stop them from whatever they intend to do. So they needed to distract you so that they could attack another target, Tony’s house. You had all the information you had been collecting there, the anti-serum, your armoury and Ms Smoak. I suspect they had planted something with John Diggle which confirmed that all of you were located at the same place.” When everyone looked at Digg, Fury reassured them that the tiny device had already been disposed of. Their location was still safe.

“I what to know what Felicity has got to do with the attack on the house?” Steve asked as the commotion died down a little.

“She’s your weak point Cap. Anyone can see that and will try to utilize it. And since Deathstroke has a vendetta with Oliver Queen, hitting Ms Smoak would be a double whammy for him.” Fury looked at Felicity with his head tilted slightly, evaluating her. “Since she is blending in with the team, if something should happen to her or others on the team, it could possibly bring you down and stop you from continuing to interfere.”

“Is that why they were following her around?” Oliver asked.

“Probably. Although it would have been easier to take her out when she was in a public place. My guess is that when they saw how protective everyone was of her, they wanted to scare you into making sure she was better protected which meant more of you with her when they hit.” Fury shrugged his shoulders.

“You mean when they took down Stark’s house.” Sam said and sighed when Fury nodded. “We could all have been killed if not for Banner and Felicity. I’ve never been more thankful for one of Stark’s suits.”

“While I’m happy that everyone is safe,” Oliver hugged Sara to him, “we’ve also lost everything we were working on in the house. Will we have to start from scratch just like the last time?” Oliver asked, frustrated that this was happening yet again.

“Nope. Queen, I am way smarter than you and I made contingency plans. I had Hill stash half our weapons and equipment at a safe site and Jarvis has ensured that all data we were working on was instantaneously copied to a safe external drive. I did not want repeat of Starling City.” Tony smirked as everyone sighed with relief. All was not lost after all. “But who is going to pay me back for my house?” he wailed.

They still weren’t out of the woods yet though and Natasha asked. “So what do you think they will do now?”

Fury considered the options. “Homeland Security, the FBI and Police Department have all been alerted to the threat by Hydra and Deathstroke’s hive army. Security for the President, the Secretary of State and other key government people has been increased which is good. But this may probably bring Deathstroke and his army out in the open since it will be harder for Hydra to get to their target secretly. Although this could have been part of their plan all along. You may need to work with Homeland Security on the threat.”

“If we are correct about the use of Chitauri tech, then I will need to work on something to disrupt the communication behind the hive mind or we will need to find the Queen Bee.” Tony wrinkled his nose at touching the alien tech.

“What about Lyla? And Roy?” Digg asked quietly.

“Digg, if we can find Slade’s base, we’ll be able to find Lyla and Roy. We’ll just have to keep looking.” Oliver told him.

“Who is Lyla?” Fury asked. When told her role in A.R.G.U.S., her relation to Digg and that she was expecting and had been last seen at the hospital maternity ward, Fury frowned in disgust. “I wouldn’t put it past Hydra to want to experiment on children. Although, they would probably wait till the baby is born and then test minute quantities of the serum to see if there is a smaller risk.”

“Then we can never let them anywhere Felicity.” Steve said angrily, his arm wrapped around her to pull her closer to him.

Fury looked at the both of them, surprise showing on his face for the first time. “Well, Captain. Are you telling me you are going to be a father? I honestly didn’t think you could get past all the things that were troubling you enough that you would want to have such a serious relationship.”

Steve tried to smile. “Neither did I but I guess it took the perfect woman to make me see what I was missing.”

“This puts a new spin on things then. Does Hydra or Deathstroke know that you are pregnant?” Fury asked Felicity.

“I don’t think so. We’ve been so careful up till today. But it’s on the hospital’s records now.” She said.

“So it won’t stay secret for much longer then. They will try to come to get you once they know.”

“We will all be waiting for them to try it. They will not be able to touch her.” Steve said fiercely.

Fury directed his attention to Bucky. “How about you soldier? Where does your heart lie?”

“It does not lie with Hydra.” Bucky answered simply.

Fury had always been a cautious man, planning for every event or possibility which was possibly what had kept him alive so far. “You need to let Banner take a look at your mental implants. We cannot run the risk of Hydra controlling your thoughts and impulses from a remote location. They now know you are with us so it’s better we try to block any kind of control they have that could involve your involuntary action. Would you allow that?”

Bucky nodded, in a way pleased that this was a request and he was not being forced to agree. “I’ll work with him on it.”

“We cannot trust anyone outside of this room. S.H.I.E.L.D. is trying to rebuild but it’s still Hydra-infested. With all our allegiances broken, I no longer can tell you who is a friend and who is our enemy. You need to watch your backs.”

“We will. Hill, we need to get all the things you hid away.” Steve wanted to get moving since they had no time to waste.

Maria smiled. “We won’t have to go far. Everything is already here.”

 

*

The look Bucky gave her broke her heart. She could tell that he was about to freak out with all the cables surrounding him so she sat in front of him and took his hand. “Bucky, look at me.” She waited till he fixed his gaze on her, his eyes wide. “Tony has said that this is not going to hurt you at all. We are just going to run a scan to see whether you have any neural implants and if we can figure out the neural interfaces. Alright?”

Steve was tense next to her. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to sit so near to him. Bucky may react involuntarily to whatever Stark is about to do.”

Bucky swallowed and nodded his agreement. “I don’t know what they have done so you should move away from me. I don’t want to hurt you by accident.”

Felicity pursed her lips but decided to not make the situation worse by arguing. “How about I sit across the room with Steve where you can focus on the both of us if you need to. Will that be better?

Bucky nodded and Steve sighed in relief, tugging her to a chair. They watched as Bruce and Tony attached little electrodes to Bucky before telling him they were turning on the machines. “We’re running the scan now. Just sit still and relax. It’ll be a minute or two for us to get a proper reading.” Bruce told him.

Bucky tried to relax, focusing on Felicity who was smiling at him encouragingly. He hated being in a chair with a machine attached to him as it only brought back the feeling of pain from being reprogrammed. When his body realized that no pain was coming, the tension in his shoulders gradually eased and he let out a soft breath.

“All done.” Bruce said as he started to remove the electrodes.

Bucky tried to get a better look at what Bruce was examining on the screen. It was another small victory for him that he wasn’t turned away or forbidden from knowing more. Maybe this group was starting to accept him a little.

“There is some sort of voltage fluctuation within your neurons which isn’t normal and I believe that you may have brain implants attached to your cortex. That would explain how they program you with information, by implanting memories and controlling your levels of aggression. I’m by no means a neurologist and there is no way I could remove them. But maybe Stark and Felicity can work on a temporary transistor that can block any incoming signals that will set your implants off. Sound good to you?” Bruce asked as turned toward Bucky.

To say Bucky was speechless would have been an understatement. All he managed to get out was a very garbled, “Thank you.” When he felt a hand on his shoulder, he turned to see Steve standing there in front of him, a supportive smile on his face. _Yes_ , Bucky thought, _things are going to get better._

 

*

“I’m sorry.” Steve’s voice was morose as he stared at the army beds in front of him. “I never wanted you to be in a place like this.”

“Steve, what is running through that head of yours now? I’m perfectly fine with sleeping on one of these. Now I can experience what you went through before.” Felicity told him as she bounced on one of the beds and laughed at it creaking beneath her.

Steve shook his head, his expression still dismal. “This was not the kind of experience I wanted you to have, Sweetheart.”

Felicity sighed as she got up and laid her head against his chest, breathing in his musky scent. “When I lost contact with you over the comms, it was as if my heart almost stopped beating. I refused to even think the worst, trusting that you were still out there and I was going to hear your voice any second. That second turned into minutes and I almost lost it, Steve. So if I have to sleep on a cot and not a comfortable bed, or live in a bunker just so that I can feel you alive and well next to me, I will. That’s the only thing that matters.”

He cupped her face with his hands, running his fingers gently across her cheeks. They had both been faced with the fear of losing each other that day and his chest hurt to remember the sound of the house collapsing over the comms, knowing that Felicity was trapped in there somewhere.

She was safe now and in his arms and he kissed her, feeling the softness of her lips under his as he ran his tongue across them, tasting his sweet Felicity. When she parted her lips, he didn’t need any further invitation as he deepened the kiss, their tongues doing their dance as they clung to each other desperately.

It was the way she softly moaned his name that made him snap and he moved his hand along her thigh till he found her panties, lightly fingering them before he shifted his fingers so he could touch her. He was always amazed at how she was always so wet and ready for him. He slid his finger over her making her whimper as she clung to his neck, kissing him in a frenzy. He had to get them out of their clothes. Setting her lightly to her feet, he helped her shimmy out of her dress, bending his head to suck on her nipple through the fabric of her bra. He lovingly moved the lace aside so that he could taste the bud itself, licking at it before popping it in his mouth.

“Steve, Oh God!” Felicity panted as she pulled his head closer. She tried to pull at his uniform but she had forgotten where the zippers were and he laughed as he showed her how to pull it off him.

When they were both finally free of the distraction of their clothes, he lifted her up with a hand under her bum and let her slide down him, rubbing her over his hard length. “Don’t tease me.” She moaned and he carried her over to a cot, sitting down on it so that she could straddle him. Moving her above him, he rubbed her wet heat against him, making them both gasp and she lifted herself gently before easing down on him, plunging her tongue in his mouth as she encased him in her liquid warmth.

Swallowing each other’s groans, they both stilled, letting the sensation wash over them before she started to rock, using his hands to guide her. Moving, he lay back fully on the bed, shifting them so that she had better grip with her legs and he jerked upwards slowly, burying himself to the hilt, before pulling out slowly and repeating it, slowly and agonizingly. Thumbing her swollen nub, he rubbed circles, pinching it as he thrust up into her, urged on by the muffled noises she was making as she was overwhelmed by the sensations he was making her feel.

“Steve, faster,” she resulted to begging, her head flung back as his pace increased, her entire body on fire. She could feel everything, his hand burning on her hip, the other rubbing her till she felt nothing but a crazed sensation at her groin, all of him swollen and hard slamming into her again and again as he stretched her and she couldn’t help but clamp down on him, wanting to hear his hiss.

“Felicity, God that was perfect,” he said as he bucked up erratically, catching himself as he leaked a little. He needed her to come first, not willing to lose control and he changed position so that she was on her back, moving till he could plunge back into her, fingering her swollen clit as he pounded into her. He could feel her start to unclench and clench, the flush around her neck running till her breasts were rosy. She looked so gorgeous under him and he bent to kiss her, needing to feel her lips.

“Baby,” she whimpered as she clawed at his arms, her breathing crazily erratic and he could see that she was close, her eyelids beginning to flutter. Moving his hand to her bum, he angled her slightly as he thrust harder, his fingers still working short sharp bursts onto her clit and he felt her explode around him in a powerful orgasm, his name a scream as she came, her walls squeezing him so tightly that it caused a chain reaction. He came with a shout, his vision whiting out for moments as he spilled every last drop of himself into her, her walls milking him as she came down from her own orgasm.

He collapsed partially against her, her legs still up against him. Moving slowly, he lay on the cot next to her, wrapping his arms around her to pull her against him. She smiled as she kissed his chest, her nose rubbing against the light sheen of sweat. “My Mr Incredible,” she giggled as she nuzzled him and he couldn’t help but chuckle. No matter what horrors they faced that day, she always made him feel that the world was right again the moment she was back in his arms.

He caressed her shoulder gently, feeling her lips on his chest. “I wonder how long we can do this before it becomes too much for you and the baby.”

Felicity smacked him on the chest. “Planning ahead, Mr Horny? I’ll have you know that it’ll be fine almost all the way to the baby is born. We might have to do things a little differently though."

“I don’t want to hurt you both.” Steve said dubiously.

“You won’t silly.’ Felicity smiled at his concern understanding that he was worried about his strength. She wriggled up him, grinning when his breath hitched and managed to sprawl across him till she was draped like a blanket, her way of feeling like she was protecting him. “You can never hurt us. Never.” She told him as she melded her lips to his, deciding that kissing him senseless was the way to go.

 

*

“How do you know this will work?” Digg asked Bruce, looking at the vial filled with Vertigo. Bruce had tried to replicate it with whatever information Felicity had given him but was unwilling to try it on anyone to test if it had the same results as the one that had Digg and Oliver had been poisoned with.

“It’s the only explanation as to why you have Mirakuru in your system and you have not been affected by it at all.” Bruce said as he showed Digg the results of the bloodwork. “All the other serums I have tried to make to counteract the effects of Mirakuru have only worked as a temporary solution before each person was overtaken by the symptoms again. I just don’t know what the results will be as we are introducing Vertigo after the person has Mirakuru in their blood and not before.”

“Could we maybe experiment on some of Deathstroke’s soldiers that are now in custody?” Sam asked.

Hill shook her head. “We can’t go near them since they are being questioned.”

Natasha rolled her eyes. “Does Homeland Security honestly think they can get those zombies to talk? They are out of their minds.”

“They need to try Nat.” Clint said ruefully, agreeing that they weren’t going to get anything out of any of the people whose minds were now controlled by others. “I’m sure we will be hearing from Homeland Security soon enough when they realize they are not getting anywhere. We will need them anyway, to search for Deathstroke. The more agencies involved in the search, the faster he will appear.”

“Is there any way to lure him out faster? Without him, we won’t be able to find Lyla.” Digg knew time was running out and he had to find Lyla and soon.

“We need to regroup and arm ourselves. When Deathstroke appears again, all cards will be on the table and we need to be prepared for it. I’m sorry Diggle.” Clint said, understanding where Digg was coming from.

“Sam, we need to find you a new set of wings. I’ve asked Thor to search the house to see if he can get them for you. I don’t think anyone is about to stop a God from tearing through some rubble.” Maria couldn’t reach out to anyone else so Thor had agreed to take it upon himself to search.

Sam felt better already, knowing that he was in a much better position with his wings than on foot with just a gun in hand. He was appreciative that Maria had even thought about it with all that was going on and when he had told her so, she gave him a small smile, telling him that was what she was there for.

When Sara and Oliver walked in hand in hand a little later, Digg brought them up to date as to what was in the works. Oliver nodded, although a little surprised to hear Bruce’s plan to use Vertigo. “I hope it works since I can’t imagine having both Mirakuru and Vertigo in the system at the same time.”

“I’m pretty sure they will counteract each other.” Bruce told him confidently.

Oliver nodded. “Okay, so we’re working on almost everything but one thing.”

“What’s that?” Natasha asked.

Oliver raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “Well, no one has explained why that guy I chased was that fast but he didn’t act like he had Mirakuru in him. If he comes back for Felicity, there will only be a few of us able to keep up with him.”

Bruce was honest with his reply. “True. Problem is, no one else here knows how to answer that either. Guess we’ll just have to wait for him to show up again.”

 

* * *

Notes: A little reprieve from the craziness of the last few chapters although I’m sure I’ve brought more questions to the plate and answered a few too. I loved reading everyone’s comments and questions from the last few chapters and I hope some questioned were answered here. This coming week is going to be a little insane for me workwise which means I won’t be able to update as much. My apologies in advance.


	41. Objectives

                                            

 

 

“Do you remember that boy, Pete? You saved me from him countless times when he tried to use me as a punching bag.” Steve asked Bucky, trying to distract him from what Felicity was doing.

“No. I don’t remember him. Why would he try to punch you?” Bucky asked, eyeing the little device Felicity was adjusting. He tried his best not to twitch as Felicity moved it closer to him.

“I was a lot smaller then than I am now. Pete was a big bully and you decided that I needed constant protection. Got yourself a number of bad bruises to match mine every time you came to my rescue.” Steve smiled at the memory, even as he watched Bucky carefully, ready to react if Bucky became a little too twitchy.

Bucky finally couldn’t take it anymore and turned towards Felicity. “What is that going to do?”

“Nothing much. It’s going to send little signals to your implants. I’m sure it won’t hurt but do tell me if you feel anything.” Felicity said as placed the device on a table next to him. She moved away to look at the small screen in front of her as Tony played around with a few configurations. Tony frowned, trying to work around the limitation of Fury’s small tech set up within the facility, not that he would readily admit that to anyone. Nope. Tony Stark could work magic with anything.  

“Do you feel or hear anything?” Tony asked Bucky who shook his head. “Well, it works then.”

“How do you know that since we haven’t tested it yet?” Felicity gave Tony a challenging look.

“I’m never wrong.” Tony pouted back.

Steve snorted. “Sure you aren’t, Stark.”

Tony actually managed to look offended. “It works since it looks like it’s blocking all signals. Even with the limited equipment, I’m pretty sure that no one can break through.”

Felicity smiled as she went to remove the electrodes from Bucky. “That wasn’t so bad, was it? At least this is one less thing for you to worry about.”

“Thank you Felicity.” Bucky gave her a small smile as he got up from the chair. Felicity was one of the few people he was becoming more comfortable being around. She never seemed tense around him nor did she watch him carefully like everyone else and he appreciated it. He looked at Steve who gave him a warm smile and a pat on the back. “I don’t remember Pete, but I want to know more. Tell me.”

Felicity watched as Steve and Bucky walked off together, her heart clenching a little at the sight of them walking comfortably side by side. Although Bucky still couldn’t remember much, she was happy to see him opening up a little to Steve. Even the other Avengers were becoming less tense around him which was a good sign, as far as she was concerned anyway.

“When are you going to stop ogling the both of them and focus on my handsome face?” Tony asked her, the corner of his mouth twitching.

“Oh, I’m your girl for now.” She told him amused. When he raised an eyebrow at her, she smacked his arm. “Tony Stark. You know perfectly well what I mean!”

Grabbing her tablet, she bent down to look at the strange little Chitauri implant lying on the table in front of her. She frowned at her tablet before holding it up for Tony to see. “Did you know that this cybernetic implant is still somewhat active?”

Tony immediately grabbed her tablet, shaking his head as looked at it. “What the…?” Linking his computer to her tablet, he started analyzing the data. “How could I have missed this?” he said as the little implant glowed.

“Maybe because it hasn’t done this before.” Felicity said. “It could have just been activated.” Her eyes widened at the implication. “Tony, does that mean that they are activating their army?”

Tony nodded as he strode towards the doorway. “Looks like we all need to gear up.”

 

*

“Can you trace the signal?” Natasha asked as she watched Felicity typing furiously.

“Have you met me?” Felicity said without looking up, “Damn, someone is blocking my trace and he’s good. Or maybe it’s a she. A crazy good she. Who is this?” Felicity stared open mouthed at the screen.

“What’s wrong?” Tony asked from behind her.

“I’ve never met someone this good before. He or she is actually blocking me from tracing the signal. There are very few people that can do that and at that speed. I must meet this person.”

“Oh no. You are not meeting whoever this person is. Are you out of your mind?” Oliver yelled at her before Steve could even say anything.

“Felicity, this person is either from H.I.V.E. or Hydra.” Steve said slightly more calmly.

“I know. It’s such a shame. They could put their talents to such good use.” Felicity said as she bent back over the keys, her fingers flying again. “I will get you. You just wait.”

“Make sure they can’t find us.” Natasha warned.

Felicity shook her head, still focused. “Already threw up blocks and reroutes. And I’m taking more precautions because whoever this is, he or she is good. Maybe I can pin point of activation.”

Clint nodded at one of the small screens. “I don’t think you’ll need to do that.” They watched as cameras panned on police officers arriving at the scene of an attack, trying to avoid people running in every direction. “Where is this?”

“It looks like it’s near Capitol Hill. Look, you can see a little of the Capitol.” Maria said as she examined the screens as the alerts went off. “Small groups are attacking numerous areas all over DC. It’s strange since they don’t seem to be hitting any important targets.”

“Do we go in?” Natasha asked as Felicity opened screens within screens so they could follow what was happening.

Steve shook his head as he looked at the chaos unfolding. “No. These might be diversions since there doesn’t seem to be a clear objective to the attacks. If I’m right, then we need to figure out their real objective.”

“I’m contacting Homeland Security.” Maria said getting up. When Tony shot her a look, she felt she needed to explain. “It was their request that we contact them the moment H.I.V.E. made a move. We need to know how we can help and where we could be most effective. They have already set some things in motion and we would only be in the way.”

“Hill, don’t worry. Just contact them.” Steve told her. He understood the situation better than Tony, knowing that threat levels were high and planned evacuations could be happening for the President and important officials. The threat by Deathstroke’s army had been taken seriously according to Fury and they needed to work with the government rather than cause more complications.

“Gotcha.” Felicity suddenly shouted, fists in the air. “I’ve triangulated the signal to Mount Weather, which is…. Oh No!”

“What? What’s Mount Weather?” Sam asked, concerned that Felicity was silent all of a sudden.

Maria walked quickly over to Felicity. “It’s one of the places that the government evacuates to. If the government is threatened, they have a Continuity of Government plan where everyone is dispersed to different sites. Mount Weather is a self-sustaining facility which can accommodate a large number of people including the President. This is bad. Felicity, are you sure that the signal came from there?”

Felicity shook her head quickly as she tried to focus. “I had the signal one minute and now it’s disappeared. I’m not sure if they know that we managed to trace the signal. But I’m sure it was from this point.” She tried to regain the trace as the Avengers gathered to discuss.

“Mount Weather is run by Homeland Security and FEMA. If they are evacuating part of the government there including the President, I don’t need to tell you what could happen.” Maria’s expression turned hard.

“How far away is this place from the capitol?” Oliver asked.

“Just under fifty miles. But they would be evacuated through their tunnel systems by train.” Clint told them. He had been in there once before, on a mission for S.H.I.E.L.D. and he remembered how big the place was. “The facility is large with quite a few compounds even with minimal ground support. How would H.I.V.E. be able to hide there?”

“Remember, we said that Hydra had infiltrated all levels of government. How hard could it be to get in if it’s not a heavily guarded facility?” Bruce said, rubbing his eyes as he looked through the information Felicity was pulling up for them.

They all stared at the overview of the Facility and Tony huffed as he turned to Maria. “Hill, what did Homeland say?”

“To stand down for now but they don’t know about this new threat. We have the advantage of surprise if they don’t know we were able to trace the signal.” Maria grit her teeth, wanting to follow her instinct even though it was going against her training. “Fury said not to trust anyone. If even Homeland Security has been infiltrated, they cannot know that we are onto them being at Mount Weather.”

Tony clapped his hands. “Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go crash the party!”

 

*

Steve looked around at everyone on his team, geared up and ready to take on the enemy. “Alright, heads up and on the alert. We don’t have Maria and Felicity on comms to guide us underground so stay in contact and near each other,” he told them as the jet neared Mount Weather. No one had been surprised when they had been driven to the hidden Quinjet since Maria had already proven how she had planned for contingencies.

“You need to stay on the jet.” Steve told Felicity firmly, shaking his head when she started to argue. “Sweetheart, Maria and Bruce will be here with you. I can’t risk you going in with us since we’re running blind. We can stay in contact though the comms.”

Felicity nodded and hugged him. “Promise me you’ll stay safe.”

“I’ll be back before you know it. You stay safe too.” Kissing her gently, he exited the jet running, glancing back as the Quinjet rose up quickly, flying off to a safe spot nearby.

They weren’t surprised when they were not met with much resistance above ground and quickly subdued any of guards they came across.

“Either we are wrong and no one is here or everyone is waiting for us downstairs.” Natasha said as she ran towards one of the bigger buildings. They needed to find access to the lower levels.

They managed to get within a short distance of the building before they met their first band of crazies. Natasha took off running full speed towards one of them, flipping in the air at the last minute and jamming a small dart into his neck. The soldier crashed to ground, his hand to his neck and Natasha used the opportunity to shock him with her Widow Bite.

Oliver shook his head as he watched her and asked Clint. “Has she always been this insane?”

Clint gave Oliver a crooked smile as he let an arrow fly at an oncoming crazy. “You’d be surprised. She’s actually calmed down quite a bit.”

Thor grinned as he let his hammer fly. "The Widow is a warrior and a warrior is never afraid of battle."

“Doc, your new stuff works wonders.” Tony said as he watched Sara take a soldier down with her new crossbow, kicking him in the face to ensure he stayed out. “Do you like my little gift, Canary?” he asked her.

“Very much. I think I’ll keep it.” Sara smiled back at him as she glanced at the crossbow he had given her. “But carrying this stash of arrows is a bitch. I prefer to use my staff.”

“I’ll fix that for you later. How about sonic energy bolts instead?” Tony said amiably as he watched the fighting in front of him.

“When you two are done chatting, how about you come help.” Digg gasped into the comms as he dived to avoid being punched by an oncoming soldier, shooting him in the leg and then rolling back and plunging a syringe into him. “It ain’t fun to be this up close and personal with them. What happened to the special bullets?”

“Couldn’t get any.” Bruce’s voice came over the comms. “Sorry, Freelancer.”

“Raven, how do we get to the lower levels?” Steve asked as he continued towards the building, Bucky by his side.

“You should see an elevator after two sets of doors. It’ll have a biometric scan on it so you’ll need someone with access. Captain, we may lose contact over comms when you are down there. You never know.” Maria warned him.

“Thanks for the warning. At any sign of trouble, take off. You need to keep safe.” Steve told them, knowing that they would understand what he actually meant.

“We will.” Felicity assured him. It was dangerous for him to lose focus on what he needed to do and this was not the time for him to worry about her. Her hands clenched tightly as she listened to everyone over the comms, hating that she couldn’t see them or that she couldn’t be of any more help.

Bruce lay his hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her and giving her a small smile. He understood, having had to watch from the sidelines knowing that the team might do better with the Hulk away from the action. He couldn’t imagine the Other Guy down in an underground facility with limited ways out and government officials on the way. Nope. He preferred being protection for the ladies.

“Guys, we need to find someone who has access to get us down there. We’re going to search the buildings.” Steve was intent on searching all the rooms till he managed to find someone and was shocked when Bucky walked up and placed his hand on the scanner. Bucky passed both the retinal and hand scans and the doors to the elevator slid open.

“I don’t know how I knew to do that.” Bucky told Steve, his blood running cold.

Steve just stared at him silently for a moment before lifting his wrist to call the team over the comms. “Elevator doors are open. We have access.”

“How did you manage to find access that fast?” Sam asked as he ran in with Tony and Digg.

“I didn’t.” Steve told them as the rest joined them, all crazies having been brought down.

“What do you mean?” Clint asked, accessing the area they were standing in but seeing no one else nor any threat.

Steve looked towards Bucky, his chest squeezed tight till it hurt. “Bucky passed the scans. He has access.”

“What?” Oliver said, his stance immediately aggressive towards Bucky.

Clint’s eyes were cold as he stood looking at Bucky. “Barnes could have been given access a while ago when they planned this attack. Or it could be a trap we are walking into.” He tilted his head towards the closed doors of the elevator. “One access down and up. We can all go down together or split up into two teams and see if we can find another way in. But without access, it may take a while till the other team gets down. What do you want to do?”

They all stood looking at each other, their eyes determined. Splitting up was not an option as the facility was too large. No, they needed to stay together. They could very well be walking into a trap, not knowing what would be waiting down there for them. But the risk was worth it if it meant saving the lives of those who were supposed to be governing the country. The alternative of Hydra winning was inconceivable to all of them and they had come this far.

“I vote we go down and smack those S.O.B.s around.” Digg finally said.

Tony snorted. “Watch your language in front of Cap. He has a mini aneurism every time he hears a bad word.”

“So we’re going in?” Steve asked. When everyone nodded, he spoke into his comms. “It’s agreed. We’re all going in. We’ll try to keep contact.”

Felicity was almost in tears, knowing full well the danger the people she loved were walking into. “Please don’t do this,” her voice breaking.

Steve closed his eyes as he heard the pain in her voice. “We have to. There is no other way.”

“No. There must be another way.” Felicity’s voice finally broke.

He grimaced, the words he had said a long time ago echoing in his head once again. “Felicity. This is our choice.” He took a deep breath, determined that it would not be the last time he talked to her. “When this is all over, you and I are going to throw that lovely dance party we planned. Alright?”

Tears ran down Felicity face as she tried to smile. “You mean our wedding?”

“That’s the one. And everyone here is going to watch me marry my best girl.” Steve said as he looked up at his team. They all nodded back at him, even with most of their faces masked, he could see their eyes, full of steel and determination.

“Okay. I’ll see you soon. I’ll see all of you soon!” Felicity sat straighter as she wiped her tears. “I love you Steve. In fact, I love you all. So go get ‘em!”

“Roger that!” Natasha said, smiling at Steve.

“Okay, let’s go.” Steve tilted his head towards Bucky, asking him to proceed with the scan again.

When the elevator doors opened, they all filed in before turning to watch the doors close, all minds focused for the ride down. They were effectively trapped in the elevator together till they reached the levels below or until something else decided to stop them.

 

* * *

Notes: Darn it! I was bawling writing the last part of this chapter. Trust me to get all emotional. We’ll see what the next chapter brings. Hope you liked this one. Let me know your thoughts… I’m very curious.

 


	42. Overrun

 

 

The elevator doors slid open with a soft whisper as everyone inside tensed, expecting an attack. When none came, they filed out, their weapons ready with Steve in front, his shield raised. Everything was silent. Unnaturally so since the place should have been a hive of activity.

“Raven. Meta. Do you copy?” Steve checked quickly over the comms.

Felicity sighed with relief as Maria answered. “We read you, Captain.”

“Alright, let’s search the place.” Steve said as they spread out a little, moving down a corridor. They passed different rooms, some that looked like miniature offices, seating areas and conference rooms with no one in sight.

“Why do I have the feeling we’re being watched.” Sam asked.

“Probably because we are.” Natasha said as she looked up at a camera hidden in a corner. Walking slowly with her guns raised, she rounded a corner and found herself staring down a wall of soldiers, their guns levelled ready to shoot. She let out a quick curse and threw herself backwards out of the line of fire as bullets razed the ground where she had been standing.

“How many?” Clint asked as she rolled and braced herself against the wall.

“Ten. Maybe more.” Natasha said as Clint indicated towards a door on the opposite side of the corridor.

Tony nodded and used his pulsar to blast in the door as Thor ran around the corner, swinging Mjolnir loose towards the soldiers, knocking one down, his hammer returning immediately to him.

With bullets continuing to whiz down the corridor, Steve raised his shield and dove around the corner into a crouch, his shield providing him the needed protection. It gave Clint the opportunity to come up behind him, letting lose an arrow that detonated at the feet of one of the soldiers. Everything exploded into action, with soldiers running towards them on the attack.

Oliver leapt forward into a roll, slamming himself through a doorway before bracing himself against the door jamb. He let loose a succession of arrows, the serum attached, just managing to duck away as bullets hit the door jamb a little too close for his liking. “Cover me!” He yelled at Digg as he stepped out and slammed his bow into the neck of soldier nearest to him. Grabbing onto the soldier’s uniform, Oliver planted his feet onto the soldier’s chest, kicking till he fell backwards to the ground as the soldier was kicked over his head. Steve slammed a fist into the crazy’s face earning him a quick thank you nod from Oliver.

With Sam giving her cover fire, Sara ran out, shooting from her crossbow, a short baton in her other hand. She kicked out at a leg in front of her, her hand shooting out simultaneously to ram the baton into the soldier’s abdomen. Twisting, she slammed both hands down on his back before bringing the baton down on his neck.

She didn’t pay attention to whether she broke his neck, moving on to help Natasha who had been thrown against a wall and who was shaking her head stunned as the soldier advanced on her. Natasha grabbed a tiny explosive and threw it in his face, quickly following with a dart filled with serum. As she rolled to her feet, she planted her fists on both his neck, sending a quick energy blast into him as Sara hit his back with her baton. The soldier finally hitt the ground unconscious.

“Thanks but I could have handled that.” Natasha told Sara.

“I’m sure but it’s better to be double certain, don’t you think?” Sara smiled back.

Bucky had taken off running after a couple of soldiers, Clint and Tony also in pursuit. Grabbing the uniform of one soldier, Bucky stabbed him with knife instead of the dart he was carrying.

“What are you doing, Winter Soldier?” Clint yelled at him as he shot an arrow into the soldier that Bucky was pinning down. “We are not trying to kill them. Use the serum.” They both stared at each other before Bucky turned and ran off after another crazy.

Clint looked over at Tony who was busy pummelling a crazy, telling him to stay down. “Stark, Barnes is beginning to worry me.”

“He’s been programed to kill, Hawkeye. I’ll keep an eye on him anyway. I hope that little transmitter I built him works. Clint, stab that one with a pointy thing please.” Tony said as he watched a soldier advance on them. Making quick work of him, they went after Bucky, trying to keep him in sight.

Thor and Steve had managed to bypass a number of soldiers, entering a large room from which they had assumed the soldiers had come from. It looked like a large dining area with multiple doors leading out. “Raven, Meta, have you managed to find any kind of floor plan for down here yet?”

“Still working on it. But someone is blocking me and I’m thinking it’s the same guy or girl from earlier.” Felicity responded, the frustration evident in her voice.

Steve didn’t like the sound of that as it could mean that they knew Felicity was nearby. “Raven, watch your own perimeter,” he warned.

“Already done, Cap. Alerts are in place.” Maria told him, quickly checking make sure that the jet’s perimeter alerts were still in working order. No one would be able to come within a fifty meters of the jet without them knowing. Maria really did not want trouble, especially since Bruce was with them on the jet in such enclosed quarters.

“Send a message to Homeland. This place is swarming and it’s not safe.” Steve could almost hear Maria’s chuckle when she told him that it had already been done a long time ago. Of course, how could he doubt Maria’s efficiency? Steve lifted an eyebrow, a question to Thor as to what to do.

“We wait for the others.” Thor told him. They needed to stay together in case it was a trap. Separated, they would become too vulnerable.

“Natasha, we need to find the communications room.” Steve told her, running back to where the fighting was coming to an end. The soldiers lay twitching, Bruce’s anti-serum hopefully working. “Where’s everyone else?” he asked when he didn’t Tony, Clint or Bucky with them.

“They took off.” Digg pointed in the direction that they had run to.

“Stark? Where are you now? We said stick together.”

“Tell that to your friend Cap. He’s the one who took off. We just followed.” Tony responded, his voice irritated.

Steve clamped down on the small seed of doubt that was rising within him. No, he believed that Bucky wouldn’t set a trap for them. “Fine. We’ll come to you. Look for the Communications Room or anything from where the root signal could come from. We need to be able to stop all communication to their army.”

They hadn’t gone very far before Clint’s voice crackled over the comms. “Umm, you better get here quick.” He was cut off by the sounds Tony’s pulsars blasting.

They raced towards the sounds of mini explosions and fighting, where they found Tony and Clint standing together with a bevy of secret service agents who were firing desperately at what seemed like a never ending sea of crazies.

“Raven, I thought you said you had contacted Homeland Security.” Steve said as he raced to help.

“I did.” They could hardly hear her over the comms with all the weapons firing. “I sent a message as I couldn’t get through to them. It must have been hijacked and they never received it.”

“I told you this guy was good.” Felicity was still trying to regain control and broadcast a warning out but she was being jammed. “It’s no good. I can’t get a signal out or find this person. I’ll keep working on it.”

“Who are the suits protecting?” Sam shouted as he backed himself against a pillar for cover.

“No idea. But it’s not good news as they came by train and not by road, which means it’s either the President, Vice President or someone else who’s important.”

The room they were in was large and there was not much cover which meant that they were exposed. Steve tried to help, distracting the soldiers when he flung his shield so that it ricocheted off the wall and against a few crazies before coming back to him.

“Do we even have enough of the anti-serum?” Sara asked.

“No. We don’t.” Oliver said as he drew arrow after arrow filled with the anti-serum from his quiver and shot them at Deathstroke’s soldiers.

“Then we will have no choice but to kill.” Natasha wasted no time, aiming and shooting a crazy in the head.

“Natasha.” Steve had managed to bring a soldier down, having given him a two-punch before bringing his shield hard to the soldier’s face.

“Captain. Sometimes to fight the unthinkable, you have to be willing to do the unthinkable.” Sara said into her comms.

Thor was already in the swing of things, his hammer whirling around as he flung it at anyone who wasn’t on their team. “We do what we must.” he yelled back at them.

The agents were trying to retreat, whoever they were guarding had been taken down a corridor but had found themselves blockaded by fallen debris. Digg and Sam were trying to duck falling ceiling tiles, bullets whizzing by and sparks from damaged electrical, taking cover before firing at any enemy target.

“They are trying to corner us. Circle around!” Clint yelled out, bracing himself as he kicked a chair into a masked soldier, distracting him enough so that he could snap his bow into his face and knock him out with an elbow.

Bucky suddenly appeared, carrying what looked like a machine gun. He cartwheeled into a group of soldiers, whirling around and shooting a number of them. Flinging one of them over his head, he grabbed another by the neck, crushing it before throwing him into one of his fellow crazies.

“Guess that’s one way to take them out. Winter Soldier style.” Tony said as he directed his blasters towards a group converging together. He fired an intense burst which sent them crashing into a wall behind them. “When I tell you to stay down, you need to listen.” Tony said as he brought a section of wall crashing down on them.

“Stark, watch it! We are underground and the last thing we need is to bring all the walls down on us.” Natasha told Tony crossly as she jumped onto a table, using it to launch herself between two masked soldiers as she stuck a syringe into each of their necks. She glanced at the agents who were still struggling to get past some fallen debris, while trying to hold off some advancing soldiers. “Thor, go help the suits.” Natasha planted her feet and aimed at as many heads as she could, bringing them down fast. Forget saving them. They had to save themselves first.

 

*

Felicity was trying hard to ignore everything that was happening over the comms as she struggled to figure out a way around being jammed. It was difficult without the proper equipment, the Quinjet only having limited computer access and her tablet at hand. Maria and Bruce watched her silently while they listened to what was happening with their team.

“Gotcha. Alright, I’ve opened a door. Get a message out to Homeland now before it closes again.” Felicity continued to chase the signal, hoping to pinpoint a location within Mount Weather. What she found surprised her because the signal was coming from much further away. She quickly put a tracer on the signal to log coordinates before she lost it again. “Did you manage to send it?” she asked Maria.

“Yes. Let’s just hope they get it this time, although I think it’s too late.” Maria pointed at the screen which showed a whole caravan of limos driving up the road toward Mount Weather. “We need to head them off before they get to the gates.”

“Do I even want to know how you intend to do that?” Felicity asked as Maria climbed back into the cockpit and prepared to take the Quinjet up.

Maria spared her a quick glance. “No. Buckle up just in case. You too, Banner.” She took off towards the convoy of black limos snaking their way along the winding road. She was so going to get into trouble for this. Gritting her teeth, she switched on the external speakers as she levelled the jet across the road, blocking the path. “Mount Weather has been compromised. I repeat. Mount Weather has been compromised. You need to turn back now. Do you copy?”

“What are you doing Raven?” Steve’s voice came over the comms.

When Maria ignored Steve, Felicity responded instead. “Our message that the facility was not safe didn’t go through. There are politicians on their way and we’re trying to get them to turn around.” She gasped as the jet lurched to the side as Maria tried to avoid oncoming gunfire. “Guess they are not so easily persuaded.”

“Raven, do what you need to. The facility is overrun. But keep safe, do you hear me?” Steve groaned when he couldn’t avoid being hit, distracted by what was happening to Felicity.

Maria pursed her lips and blew out a breath. “Roger that Captain.” She cut off the comms and cursed under her breath. She wasn’t getting paid enough for this shit. Flicking a switch, she pulled back on the yoke, taking the jet slightly higher.

“Turn back now. The facility has been taken over and is under threat.” She fired a trench into the ground far enough away from the first car that no one would get hurt. When she saw that the cars were turning around, she backed off, flying out of range to make sure that they had received the message. She turned around to see Banner looking at her with a small smile.

“Impressive move and so unlike you.” Bruce told her.

“It needed to be done.” Maria dipped her head a little. Yeah, she was going down the path of ruin, all training thrown out the window. What the hell. She was probably never going to get a government job again so she might as well go all in with the Avengers.

Piloting them back to their original safe site, she set them down gently and prepared to set up the perimeter alerts again. She tensed when she saw movement just before the wheels were blown out from under the jet.

Felicity screamed as she felt the jet propelled upwards by the small blast before coming crashing down, tilting to one side as it lay resting on its wing. “Maria. Bruce. Are you okay?” she called out, not seeing them from where she was strapped in.

“Felicity, what’s happening?” Steve’s voice was a panicked crackle over the comms.

“The jet has been hit. We’re down and being attacked.” Felicity tried to get free of the straps that were holding her down but she couldn’t get loose. Panicking, she tried yanking at it before realizing that the side buckle had been bent. “Maria, where are you? I can’t get loose.” she cried out again.

“Felicity, hang on. I’ll…” Steve’s voice was lost in a burst of static.

Felicity took a steadying breath, resolved to stay calm. She needed to get out of this mess and losing her cool was not going to help. So she almost cried out with relief when Maria’s face appeared in front of hers, bleeding from a cut to her head. “Maria I’m trapped. Get me out of these stupid straps.”

“Hold on. I’ll find something. Where’s Bruce?” Maris grabbed at a small metal bar, hoping to snap the bracket that was holding the straps in place. It was then that she heard the little shuffle and a small roar.

Felicity and Maria turned toward the noise and held their breaths as they watched Bruce transforming into the Hulk. _Oh God, no. Not in this small enclosed place._

 

* * *

Notes: My apologies for getting this out so late. It has been a crazy week and I have another jam packed week of work ahead so again, updates might be scarce. Hoping I will get a moment to start writing…till then… enjoy and yes… I ended on a cliffhanger again! Sorry!

 

 

 

 


	43. Rules of Engagement

 

Maria cursed under her breath as she struggled to get Felicity loose. “Damn it Banner. You just had to change into the big guy right now.”

“Are we in trouble? Because I would love to put on Tony’s suit but I don’t think it’ll work with these straps on.” Felicity snatched a quick look around Maria and closed her eyes when she saw a pair of dark brown ones staring right back at her. “Uh. Maria,” she managed to stutter out.

Maria froze, instantly aware of the Hulk’s presence right behind her but not daring to turn around. “Don’t stare at him!” she whispered fiercely at Felicity, worried it would set him off.

The creak of metal and clanging sound brought them back to the threat right outside the plane. The Hulk roared, startled at the noise and he shuffled over to the ramp, pummelling his fists against it.

Felicity winced when she heard Steve yelling over the comms for them to respond to him. She tried whispering a response but he couldn’t hear her. It sounded like he was trying to fight his way out but he kept meeting obstacles.

Finally getting Felicity loose, Maria shoved her behind a console, hoping it would offer them some protection. They were just in time as a piece of metal went flying over their heads as the Hulk ripped a hole in the ramp door with an angry roar. Whoever was on the outside started shooting at the Big Guy, bullets pinging off the side of the jet and the Hulk jumped out at them angrily.

“We need to get out of here.” Felicity looked frantically around for another way of escape.

“I’m well aware of that, Felicity. Get your suit on!” Maria told her as she tried to steal a glance around the console.

“Felicity. Hill. You need to answer me. I’m coming for you. Stay where you are.” Steve continued to yell over the comms.

“Well, you better get here soon. We’re trapped.” Maria told him, gun still in hand as she let her head fall back against the cold metal behind her. She nudged Felicity. “If you get your suit on, maybe we can make a break for it.”

Felicity shook her frantically. “It doesn’t have any weapons. What if they shoot at us? You’ll get hurt.”

“Right now, we need to worry about you. I’ll be fine.” Maria told her sternly. “Smoak, get into your suit. That’s an order!”

“Well, if you put it that way.” Felicity hit her bracelets against her sides, deploying her suit around her. The next time she spoke, her voice had a metallic ring to it. “Where are we going?”

“We need to get to Mount Weather. We’ll stand a better chance of taking cover and the Captain can meet us there.” Maria let Felicity grab hold of her, her arms circling her protectively as she took off in a wobbly manner out of the jet.

They were immediately fired upon and Felicity tried to turn her body so that her suit would offer Maria some protection. She heard the Hulk give off a roar and she didn’t want to know what he had done to elicit the screams that followed.

Felicity had managed to skirt around some trees before she was stopped by a large flash followed by a small explosion in front of her. She lost control of her suit, careening downwards towards the ground and she screamed as she plummeted, holding tightly to Maria. Closing her eyes, she prayed that the suit would protect her as she tensed just before she hit the ground. But the bump never came and she opened her eyes to find herself staring up at the Hulk’s face as he frowned down at the mask covering her face. “Hulk, you sure know how to make an impact on the ladies, right Maria?” she said as she let slid her arms out from around Maria. When Maria, didn’t answer, she looked down to see her bleeding from a wound to her abdomen. “Damn it. This is bad. We have to get you some medical attention. Steve, Maria has been hurt. Where are you?”

“Close. Stay where you are. I’m coming.” She couldn’t help the little shiver of relief to know he would be there soon. She leaned over Maria, trying to protect her from any stray bullets as the Hulk roared above her.

Charging at a soldier who was trying to take cover behind a tree, he ripped the trunk in two and grabbed the crazy, flinging him into another tree some distance away. With the bullets now back to firing on him, he gave out a massive roar and took a flying leap into the midst of a group of crazies. He grabbed one after another, pounding them to the ground or into a tree trunk before leaping into the throes of more of them.

He didn’t see the metal net being launched at him till he was caught in it. Tearing at it, he looked up in time to see a soldier firing a grenade at him which he took face on. Unhurt, he tore the net apart, way angrier now and fast losing control which made Felicity worry more. She didn’t know if he would be as protective of her and Maria if he lost that small semblance of control he had with them.

“Hulk, we’ve got to calm down, Big Guy!” Felicity let out a sigh of relief when she heard Steve’s voice. She peeked out from the tree trunk she was hiding behind to see Steve with Bucky.

The Hulk approached them, his stance menacing as he stared at Bucky. “Hulk, he’s a friend.” Steve tried to talk the Hulk down, not liking the way the way the situation was looking.

Felicity was at her wits end with Maria needing attention and fast. “Hulk! We need to get Maria help! You need to focus.” The words were out of her mouth before she realized that maybe shouting at him wasn’t exactly the smartest move. So she was shocked when he actually backed off and shuffled away slightly, focusing once more on the remaining soldiers that were trying to approach them.

“Felicity, only you would try something like that.” Steve shook his head as he ran up to her. “Are you hurt at all?” he asked worriedly when he couldn’t see her through the suit she was wearing.

“I’m fine but we need to get Maria help and fast. Woah…” she gasped out when Bucky hoisted Maria into his arms and took off running towards the facility again. “Where’s he going?”

“We need to get back to the others and there’s a medical area downstairs which will have supplies that we need. There’s no other way to get her to a hospital and fast.” Steve pulled at her suit. “Let’s go. Give me a lift.”

Felicity actually managed to chuckle as she grabbed Steve and flew up, praying that her suit wasn’t too badly damaged. “Guess this will be one of the few times that I can actually carry you around.” She glanced back at the Hulk who was back to playing with the soldiers. “Will Bruce be alright?”

“He’ll be fine. We need to go now!” Steve told her impatiently and grabbed her tighter when she took off. “I need Stark to give you driving lessons in this suit,” he mumbled before bringing his shield up in case someone decided to shoot anything else at them.

They got back to the facility just before Bucky and thankfully this time, there wasn’t any welcoming party. Realizing the reason why Bucky had been with Steve was to get them access back into the elevator, Felicity took a moment to really look at him. He didn’t seem any different to her, still the Bucky she knew, more brooding and sadder than Oliver. She didn’t believe he would be traitorous. If anything, it was because he had been preconditioned or they had been wrong about being able to control any external signals to his implants. She was pulled from her thoughts as the doors slid open to the sounds of fighting still ongoing.

“You left them to come to me?” she asked Steve angrily.

“I will always come for you Felicity.” Steve told her as he directed them to the medical bay he had seen earlier.

Bucky lay Maria gently down on a bed, trying not to hurt her any more than she already was. “Sorry,” he mumbled when she let out a pained wheeze.

“Well, the doctor is upstairs playing ‘Go Be Green’. What do we do now?” Felicity asked as she went to pull drawers and doors open looking for supplies. “I have some experience patching Oliver and Digg up but this looks way worse than what I’m used to.”

“I don’t have much medical training. Never needed it much.” Steve told her as he tried to help her. Bucky just shrugged, looking a little helpless.

Felicity sighed as she looked at the two men. Of course they never really needed to learn how to play medic, having either enhanced healing abilities or someone to attend to their wounds after. “Here, press down on the wound for me. We need to stem the bleeding.” She told Steve who did so as gently as he could, trying not to wince when Maria gasped in pain.

“Falcon, can you get to the medical bay? Raven needs a medic stat.” Steve asked through comms.

“On my way.” Came the reply.

Steve shot Bucky a look. “Go help the rest. I’ve got it here.”

Bucky started to leave reluctantly before freezing, his attention on the door. His voice icy, he asked. “Who are you?”

Steve’s head jerked up and he slammed his shield in front of Felicity immediately when he saw who it was.

“You haven’t been doing your homework. Deathstroke is my name.” Slade told them, his voice gravelling behind his mask. He was dressed in full body armor, his Katanna sword on his back and a gun pointed straight at Bucky.

Bucky dodged out of the way as Deathstroke fired, sprinting full speed and slamming into Slade as they crashed through the wall into the open area beyond. He needed to get Slade out of the room where Felicity and Maria were.

With Deathstroke out of the room, Steve hauled Maria up in his arms, Felicity behind him as he backed them up, his shield protectively in front. “We need to get to a safe place,” he told her as he looked around desperately. Spying another room, he pushed them in, pulling a large metal cabinet down and placing Maria behind it. “Stay here and remain in your suit. I’ll be right outside,” he told her quickly, wanting to make sure he had a better vantage point outside the confines of the room.

“How bad is it?” Maria tried to move so she could look at her wound.

“I don’t know but Sam is on his way. Stay still. You’re only making it worse!” Felicity told her fiercely as she tried to see what Steve was doing. She could hear Bucky and Slade fighting and hoped that Bucky would be the stronger of the two.

 

*

Bucky didn’t waste any time the moment they had crashed into the open space. He spun off and drew his gun, firing at Deathstroke whose armor managed to deflect the first round of bullets. Deathstroke tried to fire his weapon again but Bucky was too quick, flinging himself backwards as he kicked out, hitting Deathstroke in the chest and causing him to lose his balance for a moment. Sideswiping with his legs, Bucky, whirled around on the floor and kicked the gun out of Deathstroke’s hands.

With no gun to use, Deathstroke unsheathed his sword, bringing it down fast as Bucky raised his metal arm in defense. He grabbed Deathstroke by his ammunition belt, twisting both hands so that he could throw Slade to the floor. But Deathstroke countered the move, ramming his fist from beneath, up to Bucky’s jaw, knocking him backward.

Bucky moved slowly as he unsheathed his knife, twirling it around and faking a throw, before coming under and up when Deathstroke moved to avoid the knife. Using his metal arm, Bucky came down hard on Deathstroke’s right arm and snapped the sword into two. Moving quicker than imaginable, he spun on the spot and punched Deathstroke hard in the chest with his metal arm, sending him crashing back into a wall behind him, stunned for the moment.

Steve watched as Deathstroke got back up and went at Bucky hand to hand, avoiding the knife that Bucky swung at him. They seemed unevenly matched at first but both seemed to be holding their own against each other. Bucky had the speed and his moves were lightning fast and agile. Although slightly slower and a little heavier, Deathstroke had fighting styles that Steve did not recognise and Bucky was having some trouble fending off some blows he didn’t see coming. Steve knew that he should go and help Bucky, but his priority was Felicity. He couldn’t leave her, not down here with H.I.V.E.’s army on the loose.

Sam finally arrived, out of breath from sprinting over. Giving Bucky and Deathstroke a cursory glance, he quickly went to Maria and checked her wound. “She really needs to get to a hospital. Is the jet out?” When Felicity nodded, Sam sighed. “I can take her. I have my wings but that means leaving here.”

“You are not leaving here. The team is more important.” Maria ground out. “What’s the situation like?”

“Under control. Whatever they were trying to do, I think we managed to foil their plan and surprised them. There aren’t many soldiers left and the Secret Service were guarding the Vice President. He’s safe.” Sam said as he tried to dress her wound. “Hill, as soon as we get out of here, we’re getting you to a hospital, you hear me!” He smiled when she nodded, but his worried look on his face told Felicity a different story. Maria needed to get to a hospital and fast.

With Sam now here, Felicity was about to tell Steve to go help Bucky when she heard the Winter Soldier roar in pain, holding his head in his hands. “Steve. Go!” she yelled at him, afraid for Bucky’s safety.

Steve took only a second to make a decision, looking at Felicity still protected in her suit and Sam near enough to call for help. He launched his shield at Deathstroke, knocking him away from Bucky who was crying out hoarsely, his hands against his head. The implants! Hydra was trying to take back control of although Bucky seemed to be fighting it.

He slammed his shield into Deathstroke’s abdomen, causing him to double over, his armor denting slightly. But Deathstroke was as matched with Captain America as he was with the Winter Soldier and Steve found himself engaged himself in hand to hand combat that he couldn’t seem to get the upper hand of. Somersaulting backwards, he threw his shield up and kicked it right at Deathstroke’s throat, causing him to jerk back but not before he was hit. Choking, both hands holding his throat, Deathstroke stumbled backwards a little and Steve would have made another move if not for Sam calling out frantically. 

Steve whipped around to find Bucky staggering towards Felicity, Sam holding a gun up ready shoot. Using his shield, he swung it at Bucky who caught it midair with his metal arm and flung it aside. Running desperately toward Felicity, he could hear her trying to call out to Bucky to fight the control and he watched in horror as his best friend raised his metal arm and blasted himself in the head with an EMP charge before collapsing to the ground, unconscious.

 


	44. Damage

Notes: My apologies again for getting this out so late. I’ve been sick all week and haven’t been able to write. Definitely have some catching up to do. As always, let me know your thoughts as they help feed the muse and keep me happily writing. Happy reading and hope you enjoy the chapter!

* * *

 

 

Everything seemed like it was moving in slow motion for Felicity. She watched as Bucky advanced towards her, unsteady on his feet and in that moment she knew that he wasn’t fully in control of himself. _Damn. The device doesn’t work._

Sam had come to the same conclusion, calling out to Steve who flung his shield immediately towards Bucky, trying to stop him. Perhaps he heard the sound of the shield whizzing toward him or he could have been blessed with a sixth sense, but Bucky managed to catch the shield midair without so much as a glance towards it.

Felicity could see Steve running towards her, his mouth open as if yelling out her name, with Deathstroke right behind him, raising some kind of blade towards Steve’s back and she imagined everything ending right there. But she had her suit around her and she still might be able to withstand a blow from Bucky. Plus she didn’t want to die. Not yet. “Bucky, please. You need to fight it. Fight their control over you. Do it for Steve. Do it for me. Please Bucky,” she begged him as she saw him raise his arm towards her.

Bucky looked at her and in that moment, she got a glimpse of the Bucky she had come to know and his struggle before his face contorted in a silent scream. She thought she heard a scream, realizing a second later that it had come from her, when he slammed his hand to his head and let go some kind of blast, falling instantly to the ground. _NO! NO! NO!_ was all she could think and when she lifted her eye’s to Steve, she was equally horrified to see Deathstroke bringing the blade down towards Steve’s back. He had no protection, his shield far away and his focus on her and Bucky. She tried to warn him, but it seemed like she was moving through sludge, nothing being fast enough. And then something changed.

Felicity saw something fly by fast and crash into Deathstroke, sending him crashing to the ground. “Mjolnir! Thor! Oh thank the Gods!”

“You have hurt my friends enough. We shall end this today!” Thor raged as his hammer flew back into his hand and he launched it back at Deathstroke, who had managed to get back up. Mjolnir flew back at Deathstroke, a sickly crunch resounding as the hammer slammed into his chest, sending him careening into the wall behind him where he slid to the ground, still and unmoving.

Steve reached Felicity’s side, pulling her to him even though he couldn’t see her behind her mask. “Felicity, are you alright?”

“Yes. I’m fine. But Bucky. You have to help him.” Felicity tried to scramble towards Bucky but Steve held her back.

“You need to stay back. I don’t know what state he is in.” Steve pushed her gently away as he leaned over Bucky, checking to see if he was still alive. He felt relief wash over him when he felt a pulse but he didn’t leave Bucky’s side, not knowing if Sam would be able to guard him if he awoke.

Thor strode over, giving Bucky a cursory glance before stooping in front of Felicity and Maria. “How fare you?” he asked, his voice gentle.

Felicity managed to get her face shield up. “I’m fine Thor. But Maria is badly hurt and needs to get to a hospital soon.”

“How is the situation with the others?” Steve asked feeling a measure of guilt. That he had left his team to go to Felicity weighed on him and he didn’t think anyone would understand.

“The battle is done but some of our own are wounded and will need a healer, but none as bad as Commander Hill and the Winter Soldier.” Thor was cut off by the sharp command of a Marine asking them to drop their weapons.

Felicity couldn’t help the giggle that bubbled up. “I would love to drop my weapon but I’m afraid the only thing deadly about me is my babble. I’m sure a lot of people would agree. Not that I want you to shoot me to shut me up, since I’ve been shot at quite enough today, thank you very much.”

“All clear.” The soldier barked as the rest of his squad came around the corner.

“Well, it took you guys long enough to get here.” Sam grumbled as a medic came over to check on Maria.

“The Avengers. Where are the rest of you?” the squad leader asked as one of his team went to check on Deathstroke. A shrug told Steve all he needed to know and he cautioned them that they would have to ensure that this man was locked up tight since he could break through almost anything.

Pulling off Deathstroke’s mask, Sam stuck a syringe into Slade’s neck anyway, hoping that it might work on him too. “Follow me. I’ll bring you to where everyone else is.” Sam sent Felicity a quick smile before heading off in the direction of the others.

His face grim, Steve helped Felicity up. Ridding herself of her suit, which was a really quite awesomely weird as it clicked and spun away from her body into a neat little package, she grabbed Steve and buried her head in his chest, clinging to him. “Thank God you are alright! We are NEVER doing this ever again! Never. Ever. You hear me Steve Rogers!” She couldn’t see his face but it didn’t matter since he was warm and alive as she held onto him.

Steve pulled her face up and kissed her fiercely. “No arguments there. YOU are never doing this again. No more going out in the field or being publicly exposed anymore. I can’t handle you in danger and today I’ve learnt a valuable lesson about how little I’m willing to risk your safety.”

He sighed when he looked at Bucky and then remembered that Bruce was still upstairs. “Did you see Dr Banner when you came in?” he asked, trying to be diplomatic.

“If you mean the naked guy we found out front, then yup, he’s upstairs.”

“Well, we need him down here to help with this soldier here.” Steve told them as he pointed to Bucky. He wasn’t sure what Bucky had done with his EMP blast, but the fact that he was out did not bode well. And Bruce would be the only person who could quickly help.

“Alright, we’ll bring him on down here, as soon as we find him some clothes to wear.”

 

*

Felicity was beginning to dislike hospitals. She had been in one too many of them over the last few weeks and this time, she herself was being poked and prodded. “Do I really need to have a check up? I’m perfectly fine, you know.”

“It’s just as a precaution.” Steve gave her a weak smile, trying to appease her. This checkup was also for his benefit since he needed to know that she and his child were fine.

Felicity was itching to go check on the rest of the team. Almost everyone had a collection of injuries with the exception of Bruce, Thor and Tony, and they were currently being patched up. She knew this would be a huge issue for Oliver, Sara and Digg, since their identities were now exposed and she wanted to get to them as soon as she could. “Do you know how Maria and Bucky are doing?”

“Maria is in surgery still and Bruce is with Bucky. I haven’t heard anything new. We’ll go check on them when you are done here, alright?”

“I’m worried about Bucky. Steve, he did that to himself so that he wouldn’t harm me. I will never forgive myself if he never wakes up or he’s done himself some permanent damage. He’s already been hurt enough.” Felicity didn’t even want to imagine what Steve was going through. He had just started reconnecting with his best friend, trying hard to bring back forgotten memories and help Bucky regain some of himself and now there was a possibility that it was lost.

Steve stroked her cheek, his smile gentle. “I think I know what is going on in that head of yours. It wasn’t your fault, sweetheart. I’m happy that Bucky chose to protect you and it showed me that there is still some of the Bucky I used to know hidden away. You know, he was always trying to protect me when we were younger, no matter what it took, even if he got hurt himself. With Bucky managing to fight past his programming himself, this means that we can help him find a way past Hydra’s control. It’s a path for him to get better.”

Felicity gave him a look. “Are you only saying this to make me feel better?”

“Nope. It’s the truth, even if it does make you feel better,” Steve chuckled.

 

*

“So where does that leave us?” Oliver asked in respect to his identity as the Arrow now being out in the open.

“From what I understand, A.R.G.U.S. has said that you were working missions for them. They are covering up for all of us.” Digg told him.

Oliver sighed with frustration. He knew he was now beholden to Waller and her demands. She was doing to him what she had done before in Hong Kong, which was using him. But he had signed up for this, knowing that his identity could easily be outed. “Fine. What about Sara?”

“Same thing.” Digg said. “This is a good thing Oliver, otherwise who knows what charges could be laid against you and Sara, even Felicity and myself? This way, all of us are protected. I know how tough it must be for you to accept it.”

Oliver winced a little as he tried to move. He had taken a bullet to his arm and been slashed at, which had required quite a few stitches. Nothing that he hadn’t experienced before and they were just more scars to add to his already growing collection. He was frustrated that he was now forced to sit and not move by the fierce nurse who was currently giving him the evil eye as she tended to Sara’s wounds and bruises. His voice low enough so that the nurse couldn’t hear, he told Digg, “As long as everyone is safe, I’ll deal with it.”

He heard Felicity before he even saw her, smiling a little when she poked her head around the curtain. “Felicity. Is everything okay with you?” he asked, worried that the events of the day had caused her some harm.

“I’m fine Oliver. Really I am!” she smiled when she saw the look of disbelief he shot her. “I think it’s all thanks to Tony though. The suit he built me has saved me countless times, and others too.”

“I guess I should thank him then.” Oliver said grudgingly which elicited a snort from Digg.

“Sure, Oliver. I’d like to see you actually say ‘thank you’ to Tony Stark.” Digg gave a small chuckle. When he saw Felicity glance down at their gear, Digg shook his head and mouthed ‘not now’, shooting the nurse a look. Although they had been brought in secretly under cover of the secret service, he didn’t want any more eyes and ears when it came to any discussions they had within Team Arrow. Instead, he changed the subject by asking Felicity if she had gone to see the rest yet?

“No. I’ll go check on them and then come back to see you guys. Is that okay?” Felicity asked, not wanting them to think she was abandoning them.

“Felicity, we aren’t going anywhere.” Oliver answered as he shot the nurse another unfavourable look. When Felicity burst out laughing, he gave her a tiny smile, happy that at least she was fine.

 

*

The Avengers had fared slightly better than Team Arrow with less war wounds and nothing much to hide. Well, in terms of their identities anyway. Maria was out of surgery and resting comfortably, but her absence was felt since they had no go between to help them maneuver the political scene with all the agencies that were now involved. And Steve did not want Felicity taking over. So that left him and Tony to deal with it which was definitely not the ideal combination as he was finding out.

“Are you hard of hearing or just short of part of your brain? I told you that we traced a signal using a Chitauri device to Mount Weather. It wasn’t an agency leak nor am I psychic. And if you don’t know what a Chitauri is, I can always try to introduce one to you. They are quite friendly.” Tony was beginning to grate on the nerves of the agents interviewing him.

One of the agents decided to try again. “Mr Stark. Try and understand this from our perspective. Mount Weather is supposed to be a secure facility, a place where we could safely escort the President from the White House to. That there was an army of super soldiers conveniently hiding there that no one was aware of brings up many questions, including how you so easily managed to figure out their location. It is suspect.”

“Well, our team is one of the best and a hell of a lot more intelligent than any of you. Why don’t you go find out how they managed to gain access to the facility and stay hidden for such a long period of time since it obviously had nothing to do with us.” Tony was still trying hard to be socially and politically correct, but failing miserably.

Felicity decided to leave him with the agents and look for Bruce instead. “How is Bucky doing?” she asked Bruce when she finally found him.

“We’re running tests to see if he has caused any damage to his brain or his central nervous system. His brain activity shows him be asleep and he seems stable, although nothing we have tried to do can wake him up. It might just be from the shock he gave to his brain. The neural implants have been shorted out, but we can’t remove them without causing more damage. Right now, we are just trying to wake him and until we do, we will have no real way of knowing what damage there is.” Bruce glanced at Felicity, his face morose. “I’m sorry I let the Big Guy take over today. He could have really hurt you and I would never have forgiven myself.”

Felicity gave Bruce a huge hug. “Bruce, the Hulk saved us. I know you don’t remember much, but he was extremely protective of Maria and me. If he hadn’t been there, Maria and I might not be around right now. So no regrets or feeling guilty because he’s one of my favourite heroes today.”

Bruce was thoughtful and a small spark of hope was reflected in his eyes. “I’ve never known him to be able to control himself as much as he has over the last few months. He’s always been so angry and so out of control. Perhaps this will mean we can work with him. Even on missions.”

“You should ask Natasha to work with you then. Of all of you, she’s the most intuitive and probably the bravest.” Felicity flashed Bruce a smile. She was being sneaky, having seen the little looks that Bruce and Natasha had been stealing when they thought the other was not looking. Besides, she genuinely thought that Natasha would be able to get through to the Hulk.

 

*

“I don’t think we can go back to the base.” Clint said a little later. “We have too many eyes on us.”

“Are we still going to be working with someone or are we independent again?” Natasha asked

Tony sighed. “As much as I hate working with government stiff necks, I don’t think we have much of a choice right now. But I’m assigning Cap to be our mouthpiece. I’m not socializing with the clones anymore.”

“We need to work with them anyway. We can’t leave Maria and Bucky here alone and we don’t have the equipment at base to figure out what to do for Bucky. We do need to be on guard. This is not over. Yet.” Steve said tiredly.

“So where are we crashing for the night?” Sam asked looking longingly at a hospital bed.

“I think they’ve prepared a place for us. Let’s just get some rest and come back here tomorrow.” Steve looked towards Felicity who wanted to say something. He shook his head quickly and pursued his lips, rolling his eyes around to tell her that there were ears everywhere. What she had to tell them would have to wait till a little later.

 

 


	45. Alliances

 

Felicity tapped Natasha on the shoulder and mouthed, “Is this place bugged?” knowing Nat would be able to lip read what she was saying.

Natasha rolled her eyes and nodded emphatically, mouthing back “Of course!” She pointed at Clint who was busy checking everything. Nat wished that Tony had some kind of fancy debugging device but on such short notice, manual checks would have to do. So while they waited, Natasha took the time to make sure Felicity was really alright. “Are you really feeling alright? And I don’t mean just physically.”

“Oh you mean am I okay with all the things that happened today? Which one specifically? The part where you guys said goodbye before taking an elevator to the burning depths of hell, or living through my first actual plane crash, or when Bruce decided to tear apart the plane when we were in it, or realizing that I’m a bad driver in a suit according to Steve, or Maria being hurt because I couldn’t protect her, or… Bucky trying to commit brain suicide so that he wouldn’t hurt me. I guess I’m okay. Well, I think I’m fine.” Felicity looked towards the ceiling and shrugged.

Natasha narrowed her eyes as she accessed Felicity. She did seem fine which was in some way not really shocking since they were discussing the one and only Felicity Smoak. “You do seem fine. But time will tell. If you ever need to talk, you know where to find me.”

Felicity giggled a little at that. “I’m sorry Nat. But your idea of talking is to bring me to the mats. I don’t think I’m ready for that kind of talk yet.”

“For you, I’m willing to change it up a bit.” Natasha told her, smiling at Felicity’s shocked expression. Yes, she really liked the way she always surprised Felicity Smoak.

 

*

When everything was clear, they gathered around as it was clear that Felicity was just bursting to discuss some information.

“Alright Smoakie. I know you are just dying to say something. So out with it!” Tony rubbed the back of his neck tiredly. They all had had a very long day.

“I was dealing with my oh-so-talented nemesis and had a tiny window where I managed to trace the coordinates of the signal. Mount Pony in Virginia. It used to be a continuity of government bunker but now it serves as the National Audiovisual Conservation Center with the archive still underground.” Felicity passed the tablet with the information around.

“This is the perfect place for H.I.V.E. to keep that machine they used to build their army. It’s practically deserted, and may still have some of that reinforced concrete and lead lined shutters from the Cold War days. Which means that if they are using gamma radiation, it would be almost untraceable.” Bruce said as he studied the location.

“Could they be using it to hold prisoners?” Digg asked, thinking of Lyla.

“They might. It’s near enough to D.C. to be able to get to quickly but not near enough for anyone to think of looking into the location.” Clint was busy accessing the site and looking for possible means to access it.

Bruce was still thoughtful. “Felicity, you won’t be able to access that location. If there are gamma rays there, it will not be safe for you.”

Oliver frowned, his eyes on Digg. “We need to go in soon though. If they find out that we are aware of this location, they will disappear fast. And who knows what they will do now that we have Slade.”

“Did they manage to get any information from Deathstroke?” Steve asked Natasha who shook her head.

“They’ll get nothing from him. It’s a waste of time to try.” Oliver practically growled out.

“Doc. What’s happening with Mr Metal?” Of course, Tony was back to being snippy, although there was a sign of some grudging respect hidden in that one sentence.

“That EMP blast Barnes gave himself may have done some damage. I’m more concerned about any damage done to his central nervous system and maybe the use of his left arm. The circuits may be fried and he may have lost control over it, if that’s the case. Although, Stark, I’m sure you can figure out something new for him right?” The look that Bruce gave Tony was inquiring, unsure if Tony would even consider helping Bucky.

“Don’t look at me that way, Doc. I know what you’re thinking. If I helped Barnes with his implants then I will consider helping him with his arm. That is if he wakes up, of course.” Tony tried to shrug it off but knew he was caught when Felicity grinned happily at him. “Well, I guess we can’t wait for Cap’s buddy to wake up. Should we go in today then?”

“No. Let’s find out more about the facility first. We need to figure out how to get there since our Quinjet is now out of commission and whether or not we want anyone else to be involved. Anyone have any opinions?”

Clint spoke up. “Well, it is smaller than Mount Weather but it’s still large enough. The security will be almost non-existent and it says that the theatre has been closed for renovations, so there won’t be many staff or military guard there at all.”

“So if we need to be able to bypass their security. Felicity, is there any way you could get us in?” Steve asked.

Felicity thought about it. “As long as there is no biometric scan to access it, yes. But we still have to worry about that deviously clever hacker. I can’t promise you that if I tried to add one of you on their security list or change anything, that we won’t be detected by him or her.”

“I have a feeling that no matter what we do, they will know we are coming. Perhaps it’ll be better for us to risk working with the government this time, especially since you can’t make any more of that anti-serum here, Doc. It’s either we find them or they will come looking for us. I’d rather we have the upper hand.” Steve rolled his shoulders a little, knowing he was tense as he looked around the room. Everyone looked exhausted, although they were trying not to show it. “Let’s try and dig up more information of the site, floor plans etc. We’ll get some rest and talk about this more in the morning.” He looked at Digg before saying, “We’ll stand a better chance if we go in fresh,” and was relieved when Digg gave him a sharp but affirmative nod.

 

*

Felicity sat glaring at Oliver, which was making him rather uncomfortable much to Digg and Sara’s amusement.

“Felicity, it’s not like I did this on purpose.” Oliver sighed.

“I know that Oliver. However, you could have set up some kind of contingency plan. But of course you didn’t. You always go into every fight with the thought that you might not come out of it. You’ve risked everything here. Your life, your family, your company, your future, your happiness. What will it take for you to start thinking about yourself once in a while?” Felicity was not backing down. Not this time. Especially since it affected Digg, Sara and herself. She knew that Oliver was doing this to protect all of them, again. But he had to stop before he lost everything.

“Felicity is right, Oliver.” Sara had been upset that the choices she had made had brought her to the situation that she was now in. But she had resolved to support Oliver and would now have to deal with the consequences of having her identity outed. She only hoped that by aligning herself with A.R.G.U.S. for whatever time they needed her, it would provide some protection for her family and against the anger of the League. “We have to be much more cautious now. A.R.G.U.S. can only do so much. What we do from now on could affect the people we love and the lives that they lead.”

“Does that mean that you are going to rethink fighting and killing Sara?” Oliver asked, knowing she would be honest in her reply.

“No. That is who I am now. But I need to ensure that any alliances I make do not have an effect on my family. If the wrong people know who I am, then those I care about could suffer for it.” Sara understood better than anyone what kind of destructive path Oliver could choose to walk down. She didn’t believe that he truly wanted to walk it though. It was more that he felt he needed to and if it was up to her, she wasn’t going to let him.

Oliver knew Sara was right although he wasn’t about to admit it. He knew deep down that he had come to Washington D.C. not only to look for Digg, but also because he had wanted to see Felicity again. During his time here in the city, he had come to accept that Felicity was never going to be his and he had gradually become happy for her. He was finally in a place where he could tell himself that he would always love Felicity and worry about her but he was moving on. Whether or not he and Sara would work out, only time would tell. Now he had to focus on helping Digg get his family back. “Right now, let’s just focus on finding Lyla and Roy. But I promise to be more careful and we will discuss plans if necessary. Since A.R.G.U.S. has already stepped in with a cover story for us, we have no choice but to play along. And Felicity, you can stop glaring at me now.”

 

*

Before Felicity decided to call it a night, she had one more person that she really wanted to talk to. She found him in the kitchen, rummaging through the refrigerator.

“Are you hungry, Thor?” She asked him, giggling when he poked at something and sighed.

“That I am, Felicity. But I know not what this is.” Thor grabbed a plate and showed it to her, his face hopeful.

“I haven’t a clue either but it doesn’t look all that appetizing. I can make you a sandwich though, which is probably the extent of my current culinary skills.” Felicity grabbed what she needed when Thor smiled and nodded. As a prince, he was probably used to being waited on hand and foot. She smiled to herself as she set about her task. _Making a sandwich is definitely not high on the list of princely skills to attain._ “Thor, I wanted to thank you for saving Steve from being hurt earlier on today. If not for you, he could have been badly injured or even killed. So thank you.”

“Felicity, you are welcome. But know that Captain Rogers is someone I have come to consider a friend as are you. And I do much for my friends.”

“And for that I will always be grateful.” Felicity told him, giving him a hug.

 

*

Steve smiled as Felicity snuggled closer to him, his hand caressing her back before shifting to cover her belly. “At least this is a more comfortable bed for you.” He said as kissed her forehead.

“It’ll be comfortable as long as you are with me, Steve.” She told him, laying gentle kisses over his chest. She shifted up so she could kiss him, tasting him slowly before he deepened the kiss. He pulled her gently closer, his hands running down her back making her shiver from the desire that suddenly coursed through her. She let her hands wander under his t-shirt, drifting across his abs making him suck in his breath as she touched him.

Felicity grinned as she felt him hardening against her thigh and she moved her hands downwards, seeking him out and gently running her hands over him when she found him. She giggled as he rolled them till she was under him, reaching down to pull off both their pajama bottoms. He gently massaged her clit, making her sigh, her hips immediately rocking up to meet him. She was already wet and ready but he wanted to explore her further, so he backed off, tugging her t-shirt over her head and latching on to one pert nipple, sucking gently on it.

Felicity moaned and gasped his name as she pulled his head closer, scratching at his hair. She needed him, not wanting the foreplay and pulled him upward towards her so that he rubbed against her wet heat, before guiding him till he lay sheathed within her. They took their time, Steve slowly thrusting in and out of her as he kissed her over and over, their tongues tasting and their breathes mingling. Hiking up one leg so that he could thrust deeper, he kept up the slow torturous pace, wanting to savour the feeling of her till she was begging for him to move faster.

He flexed his hips a little as he moved above her, turned on by the whines and small gasps that came from her. She came suddenly, her walls quivering and clamping around him as she let out a sharp, breathless cry. Capturing her lips again, he moved to a different angle so he was thrusting slightly downward, his chest heaving a little as he lost his rhythm, coming with a loud shout as he exploded into her.

Felicity curled her legs around him, not wanting to let him go as she kissed his cheek and then his lips, grinning. “My man. Always so wonderful.” She smiled as she nuzzled his nose, making him laugh.

“Come here,” he called to her softly as he gathered her in his arms, careful not to crush her. “Once this is over, I’m thinking we get married right away. But I don’t have many friends or any family. Did you want something big?”

Felicity shook her head, smiling into his shoulder. “Something small, intimate and private. There aren’t many people who I would want there and most of them are in this house with the exception of a few. What is important is you and me and what we are comfortable with.”

“I feel the same way, sweetheart.” Steve tipped her chin so that he could look at her, blue eyes gazing at blue before he dipped to kiss her sweetly. “FeIicity, I love you.”                                                                  

“I love you too, Steve.” Felicity knew that Steve had made the choice between her, his team, his friend and his own life many times today and was having a tough time with it. So she resolved that she would make it easier on him from now on, as long as it was in her control to do so. But she didn’t want to bring it up now. “I do want Bucky to be at our wedding though.”

Steve sighed. “I do too. But Bucky wouldn’t want us to delay our wedding just because of him either. Let’s see what happens alright? Now go to sleep. You need your rest.” He buried his nose in her hair, letting her scent surround him. Today, there had been too many close calls and almost goodbyes. He thought of Digg and how he must be hurting, knowing that he was so close to finding Lyla yet helpless to get to her. He needed to help John Diggle get the woman that he loved and the mother of his child back. They all did. Even if it meant putting themselves in danger by asking for help. He closed his eyes knowing that tomorrow would not be too far away.

 

*

The next morning saw some very frustrated faces glaring at each other from across the room. “What do you mean you want us to stand back while you lead? I might as well twiddle my thumbs while you all get slaughtered in front of me.” Tony snarled, ready to let fly more insults till Steve had to place a warning hand on Tony’s arm.

Steve tried to defuse the tension. “We understand that you have your way of operating and it is not our intention of getting in your way or taking command of any of you. However, these are not ordinary people that we have encountered and they have strength that even we have trouble dealing with. We need to work together on dealing with this enemy and the best way to do that is to break up into teams and attack from different angles so they cannot find a way to escape. We do believe that they have moles in different agencies so we are trying to be careful here. It’s hard to know who we can trust so that the information doesn’t get leaked. If we lose them this time, it will take a while before we can find them again. And who knows how much more damage they can do in that time?”

The officer blinked at the change in attitude from one Avenger to another. “Fine. We’ll discuss how we can work together. But we need to know more information from you.”

“And you’ll get it. But we will have one of our own conducting our communications if that’s alright with you.” Steve glanced at Felicity who pursed her lips, not happy that she was being left behind but understanding Steve’s reasoning behind it.

“As long as they work together with us, we should be fine.”

The answer gave Steve some relief and he nodded thankfully. But before he went any further he needed to talk to Thor so he quickly pulled him aside.

“Captain, I know what you wish so you need not say it. I will stay by her side.” In his own way, Thor understood where Steve was coming from. He needed Felicity safe so he wouldn’t be distracted or forced to make choices again. She couldn’t be in the facility and Steve couldn’t trust her with the Marines or with the other agents. And if something did go wrong, Thor would be one of the few Avengers that could get her out of there and somewhere safe fast. Tony and Bruce could probably do it too but they would be needed at Mount Pony.

“If anything should happen, please take her somewhere safe for me. Somewhere that they cannot get to her.” Steve knew he was asking a lot but the look Thor gave him was reassurance enough.

“You have my word.” Thor told him, placing a hand on his friend’s shoulder.

Two hours later, that same hand lay on Felicity’s shoulder after she kissed Steve good luck and watched him walk off with the rest of what she now called her team. They boarded their transport with the hope that when they got to Mount Pony, they would find what they were looking for with a lot less trouble.

 

* * *

Notes: I’ve left the crazy of the last few chapters behind as we really needed some respite for the team to interact and of course Steve and Felicity to have some time together. The next chapter might go back to being crazy but I know some of you are dying to having some questions answered. Not to worry, they are coming. But if you do have questions, let me know and I’ll be sure to respond if I can or it’ll be in upcoming chapters. I’m going to be away for business again this week, which means little to no writing time for me. Again my apologies in advance if my update is later than usual.


	46. Search and Rescue

Notes: I cannot help but apologize for the long wait. I’ve had a whole series of things happen over the last 2 weeks which have totally prevented me from writing. I’m trying to catch up so please bear with me. This may be a shorter chapter but important in wrapping up some stuff. Any errors will be corrected soon... Oops.

* * *

 

Digg sat quietly in the transport, praying that they would find Lyla here. It had been weeks since he had last seen her, some of those where he had been unconscious himself. It no longer mattered to him what he had to do, as long as he had her back safe and sound. He refused to even think that they were too late, determined to think only positively. Digg looked up to see Steve looking at him, his own face a mask of determination and he returned the nod that Steve directed at him. The silent message was clear. Steve would help him help him bring Lyla back.

The team was oddly silent as they sat together in the transport. They had been separated into two teams, Felicity being their link as she chattered into their comms, informing them of where the other team was and letting them know of any new plans that had been discussed. It felt strange for Digg to be on a mission with Marines and it seemed like a type of deja vu back to his days with the Special Forces. But when he looked up, instead of seeing the faces of his old squad, he found himself staring at Oliver and Sara along with the very irritating Tony Stark. It was surreal how he felt that his chances of success were a lot better with this team and he felt a twinge of guilt to be thinking this way which he quickly shook off as they had reached their destination.

Clambering down from the transport, they crossed stealthily to the entrance points. One team was to go in, another remaining outside as backup, to enter later than the first team. They found entering the facility easy which peaked their suspicion a little, thinking they were expected but they found no resistance. It didn’t last long though before they came across their first group of Mirakuru enhanced soldiers. The marines’ orders were shoot to kill which the Avengers chose not to argue with since they did not have the cure on them. Their main priority was to find out if this was where they made more soldiers and to find the people who has set this plan in motion. If they could find Lyla, then that would be an added bonus.

Leaving the marines along with Hawkeye to deal with the group of crazies, Steve, Natasha, Oliver, Sara and Digg set off to continue their search.

“Felicity, we’re searching the rooms on the perimeter now.” Steve spoke softly into his comms and smiled when he heard her quick reply.

“Got you all on screen. According to the floor plan, you have another couple of rooms before you hit a large storage area. Be careful there. Lots of blind spots. You never know what around the corner.” Felicity sounded chirpy enough and Natasha rolled her eyes. Yup, Felicity alone on comms without Maria’s grounding presence would need a little getting used to.

They found nothing in the rooms and the moment they stepped into the storage area, they found all the lights automatically came on in the vicinity taking away the element of surprise they would have. More alert, they searched the area as quietly as they could but found nothing.

“Let’s move inwards.” Steve signalled for them to start approaching some of the inner rooms. They had agreed on an outward-inward grid search with the marines, each team taking a different section so as to cover more ground. “Hawkeye. How are things faring on your end?”

“We’ve taken down most of them. But I don’t doubt we will meet more. Have you come across anything yet?” Barton responded.

“Not yet which is strange. Stark, anything happening up top?” Steve shot a glance at Natasha, who just sent him a shrug, letting him know that she had no idea either.

“Nada. Are you sure somebody’s home, Felicity?” Stark asked.

“I can’t be sure. The signal definitely did originate from there though and you’ve come across some of them crazies. So there must be something that they are hiding there.”

Bruce piped up. “True. And there are trace gamma rays here. They are faint but detectable above ground. They might be stronger were you are Cap.”

Barton’s voice interrupted them and he didn’t sound happy. “Cap, we found something. I think you better get over here. You’re going to want to see this. And Doc. I think you may need to get down here too. This is probably in your area of expertise.”

Oliver glanced at Digg, who was tense but still holding it together. Oliver hoped that whatever they found that was making Barton sounds grim, it wasn’t Lyla in trouble.

They knew the second they heard the strange humming sound what it was. The machine that they had briefly seen in Starling City now loomed in front of them, familiar yet different. There were more wires and tubes hooked up to it and to Oliver’s horror, he saw Roy, lying motionless and looking as pale as marble like he was dead. But that couldn’t be since there were a multitude of tubes hooked up to him. Around him lay others, unconscious and probably in the middle of blood transfusion with Mirakuru being injected into them.

They could hear Felicity gasp in horror as the image came up on her screens. “Is that Roy? Is he…?” She couldn’t continue, not wanting to express what she was thinking in words.

“Yes, it’s Roy. I don’t think he’s dead but we’re waiting for the Doc. He doesn’t look in good shape and we shouldn’t touch him till we know what is going on.” Oliver tried to ease her concerns but he was now all the more worried for Lyla. They had to find her.

As if reading his mind, Natasha signalled to Steve that they should continue their search, indicating towards Sara and Digg.

“Fine. Hawkeye, go with them and see what else you can find. I’ll wait here for the Doc. Arrow, did you want to stay here or search with them?” Steve understood and he would have gone with them if not for the fact that the machine was too important to leave.

Oliver decided to stay. He knew Digg had Sara with him and he trusted the other two Avengers would be an equal help to Digg in searching for Lyla. He needed to make sure that Roy was okay.

Bruce appeared a few minutes later, unnecessarily escorted by a couple of marines. He took one look at the machine and Roy and immediately clambered up to where Roy was, looking intently at all the wires and tubes.

“Doc, is he still alive?” Steve asked.

“Yes. But just barely. His pulse is very weak and I’m assuming the only thing keeping him alive is the Mirakuru and it’s healing powers. It looks like they are cycling the blood within him, not really draining him of blood but draining just enough for transfusions. They are not giving his body enough time to replenish the blood supply before draining his blood again. It’s probably a huge strain on his heart. It doesn’t look good and we can’t just unhook him from the machine or switch it off either. It’ll kill him.” Bruce shook his head, trying to think of a solution and fast. “Stark might be able to come up with something.”

“I heard that. Why is it that I’m the go to person for everyone you all want to save? I have a busy schedule, mind you. Being a saviour usually comes on the backburner.” Tony sulked into the comms, probably upset that he was not getting any action above ground.

“Because you are the genius that usually comes up with the best solutions?” Felicity decided that stroking Tony’s feathers would do the trick. Well, it usually worked, most of the time anyway. And today was no different.

“Right you are Smoakie! Guess if the Doc says I’m the go to person, then I’m up for the challenge.” Tony sounded way more upbeat and Steve couldn’t help but snort at Tony caving to Felicity’s blatant flattery. His girl always knew how to get them going. It was her gift. “Should I come down take a look at that hunk of junk that mini Hulk is hooked up to? There is nothing happening up here and Big Bird can handle anything that crops up. This place is dead!”

“What do you think, Falcon?” Steve wanted his opinion too if Stark decided to leave him alone with the backup Marine unit.

“Nothing happening up here. It really is quiet and it seems the same down below.” Sam replied.

“Yeah, that group that we encountered seemed like a token force. We have not come across anything else down here. Which makes me uneasy.” Barton’s voice came up over the comms.

Oliver looked over at Steve. “Thing don’t end just because Slade was captured. They won’t have just left the machine unmanned unless they have no more use for it. They were either on to us coming and left before we arrived or they were always at a different location.”

Steve decided to make the call. “Stark, guess you should get down here then. I don’t want to move this kid till I know what you and Banner can come up with.”

This time, it was Natasha who interrupted them. “Cap, I’ve found a room full of computers and equipment. It seems like whoever was here left in a hurry because they tried to erase everything but couldn’t take some of the important stuff. Felicity, maybe you can retrieve some of the information.”

“Getting right on it!” Felicity said excitedly and they could hear Thor’s chuckle from somewhere nearby.

Bruce was taking a quick reading of the machine and the room while waiting for Tony. “There is a trace of gamma radiation here but not much higher than you would find in certain areas of a hospital. If they were using it, it was not in significant amounts. So if Lyla was here, then it may not have done her or the baby much harm. Natasha, have you searched the areas which may be lead lined yet? They may not have known this and may have kept her there as a precaution.”

“We’re on our way there now.” Natasha’s response was quick.

“And I have arrived.” Tony’s voice boomed as he appeared in front of Oliver and Steve.

Oliver was tempted to ask him to disappear but he needed him to help Roy so he clamped his mouth shut.

Tony walked around the machine checking it’s mechanics carefully. “Woah. They really need to learn that less is more. It looks like they added a ton of things to it since we last saw it. It could actually be alive, it’s so horrific!” He finally walked over to Roy and tracked the tubes to where they were hooked up to the machine itself. “This isn’t going to be easy. The machine is the thing that’s keeping him alive. I will have to replicate something similar so that we can take him off this machine and hooked onto another. It’ll take time.”

“And I have found something too. Does the name Darren Cross mean anything to any of you?” Felicity asked, her voice trembling with excitement.

“I’ve met him before. CEO of Cross Technologies and a rival to our company. I can’t stand him. He’s arrogant and narcissistic and as fake as can be. I preferred to speak with Hank Pym but Cross drove him out of his own company.” Tony’s face contorted into a snarl thinking of the man.

“Well, kinda sounds a lot like you Stark.” Sam howled into the comms gleefully.

Tony was immediately offended. “Watch it, Big Bird!”

“Why do you ask Felicity?” Steve tried to get them back on track.

“Well, it shows some experimentation although much of it has been erased and I can’t make heads or tails of the data remaining. But it links to him as his name is mentioned here.” Felicity tried to retrieve more information so she could show it to Bruce later.

Hawkeye’s voice came over the comms. “Guys, I’m happy to report that we’ve found Lyla. She’s awake and well, we think and with Freelancer now. She does need to be checked out though as she doesn’t remember a lot. That’s the good news.”

Felicity let out a little scream of happiness that made everyone wince. “Oh thank God!”

“There’s bad news though.” Hawkeye continued. “We found her in a place where there’s a lot of experimentation that has been conducted. There’s a ton of equipment here along with blood samples. And dead bodies different from what we’ve seen with the Mirakuru. I have no idea what has been done here, Banner.”

“I guess I should head over there to look at it then. We need to take this all back with us to study.” Bruce started towards where Hawkeye was. He couldn’t do anything here for Roy till Tony had built something to move him. But he had the feeling that he was about to find something as bad as the Mirakuru.

Steve shook his head. What had been going on in this place and where was everybody? Why was the place now deserted? Had there been another leak and H.I.V.E. had known that they were coming? There were so many questions that needed more answers, but first, they needed to get Lyla and Roy out of there and somewhere safe and provided with medical attention. And they would need to find out what this Darren Cross was working on and how it was linked to Hydra and H.I.V.E. And he was guessing they would need to figure this out and soon.

 


	47. Perplexed

Notes: My profuse apologies once again for the late release of this chapter. Emergency situations at work and life in general have conspired against me writing. But I hope to try to release at least one chapter a week if I can from here on forward. Thank you for still sticking with the story and your support and patience with me.

* * *

 

Digg refused to let go on Lyla’s hand as the medic and then Bruce took turns checking her. What he didn’t like even more was the frown on Bruce’s face and just as he was about to ask what was wrong, Bruce decided to ask Lyla some questions.

“I’m perplexed as to why your vitals and everything else seems to be stable when you were kept sedated for such a long time. By right, you should not be this healthy. Don’t get me wrong. I’m happy that you are alright, but it’s just strange and I’m worried something else is going on that is causing this. How do you feel personally?” Bruce tilted Lyla’s head so he could look at her eyes again.

“I feel fine actually. Tired and a little dizzy but relatively fine. Although, I have huge gaps in my memory. I’ve actually been awake for more than seventy two hours so perhaps the drugs are out of my system. How is my baby? Has he or she been affected by this?” Lyla asked worriedly.

Bruce shook his head, equally puzzled. “Not that I can tell but we need to do some bloodwork and run more tests on you to ascertain that before we can be sure and we need to get you to a hospital for that. If you’ve been awake that long, did you see anyone come by or overhear anything? The facility seems empty and it’s odd.”

“Only the one guy who brought me something to eat. There was someone else in the room but I couldn’t see him. All I could tell was that the guy who brought me food would greet him by time of day, which helped me gauge time. I couldn’t see anyone else although I did hear the other person moving around and the sound of different machinery. I didn’t leave the room they locked me into.”

Digg sent Bruce a questioning look. “Doc?”

“Digg, I don’t know what’s going on yet till I take a look at these corpses. We’ll get Lyla to a hospital first to make sure she and the baby are really alright. Stark is working on getting Roy away from that machine safely and then we’ll see. Maybe I’ll have more answers for you later.” Bruce watched as Digg slowly led Lyla away before busying himself gathering the items left behind. Although there were no notes, he could tell that the corpses had disintegrated partially, as if their cells had been tampered with. What he did note however, that the work was different from that being done by injecting Mirakuru. This was something different and he had to find out what, which was why he needed to get this all back to a lab. What could this have to do with Darren Cross? One thing was for sure. Whoever had been conducting these experiments had not meant to leave everything behind and had definitely left in a hurry as they didn’t have time to destroy everything. 

He found Steve and Tony back where he had left them with Tony busy working on unhooking Roy from the machine. But it looked like he didn't have everything he needed.

“How is Lyla?” Steve asked right away on seeing Bruce.

“She seems to be fine although we will need to do a full check on her. What worries me though is what they were intending to do with her. They were experimenting on something quite different from Mirakuru in that place and it looks like they left in a hurry. I’ll know better what it might be when I get it all back to the lab.” Bruce paused and looked over at Tony. “How is it coming along with Roy?”

“I don’t have everything I need here and the kid is not stable. Might have to go scrounge up some parts from around here.” Tony looked between Steve and Bruce. “They knew we were going to come crash the party otherwise they would not have left this here.” Tony said gesturing at the machine. “This will not be easy for them to replicate anytime soon and with Slade in our custody, where are they going to get more Mirakuru from?”

Bruce paused to think about it. “They probably can’t if they don’t have Slade or a pure sample. Maybe that’s why they left the machine here. They have no use for it anymore. Maybe that’s why they left everything they had been experimenting on in the lab too. He may have all he needs to set up somewhere else. This is a dead end.”

“Not quite. At least Felicity found us a name. Darren Cross.” Steve added.

Tony laughed at that. “That’s not going to do us much good. There is nothing to link him to being here except that his name was mentioned. He could have been a person to contact later for all we know. Anyway, he’s been quite untouchable. He’s managed to escape anything that has been thrown his way although I would love to break that pattern.”

Natasha reappeared with Clint. “They’re gone. Nothing left here for us besides what we’ve found. There were quite a few people staying here though from what we see of their living quarters.” Clint told them.

“Tipped off?” Steve asked to which Natasha nodded. Steve spoke through his comms. “There’s nothing else here besides what we’ve found. Meta, have you anything on your end?”

“Nope. Well, there’s some information for Doc to look at that I can’t decipher but besides that, nothing else. That guy is smart. He must have realised that I had traced him or we have a mole. Either way, unless we get another signal, we are at a dead end here.” Felicity sighed frustrated into the comms.

Steve sighed. “Alright. We’ll be back as soon as we can.”

 

*

Steve found Felicity sitting with Lyla and Digg when he finally got to hospital. He held her to him to satisfy himself that she was safe and well before giving her some time with her friends. Nodding a thank you to Thor who was leaning against a wall, he indicated that they should go outside into the corridor to talk.

“What else did you find?” Thor asked.

Steve shook his head frustrated. “Nothing else significant. Natasha and Barton are still going through everything and they will report back if something comes up. Banner should be here soon as he wants to take a look at Lyla. He’s worried that they did something to her that wouldn’t be immediately noticed.”

Thor’s face turned grim at the prospect that they could have hurt a mother and her unborn child. “Where’s metal man and Queen?”

“Stark is still working on getting the kid out and Oliver wanted to stay with them. Once they manage to get him away from that machine he’s hooked up to, he’ll be coming here. He doesn’t look good though so for everyone’s sake, I hope he makes it.”

“He is but a boy. It will be a great loss to Felicity should anything happen to him. I hope Fate smiles down on him.” Thor said before glancing sharply to his left.

Following his gaze, it took Steve a second or two to place the face. It was the guy from the hospital that had been watching Felicity. He immediately gave chase, surprised at the speed the man ran at. But he wasn’t as fast as Steve and no match for Thor and although he tried to fight back, going against the two Avengers found him on the ground and pinned down, staring at two very angry faces.

“Who are you?” Steve asked him angrily as he thought of how this man was back again trying to harm Felicity. From the speed this stranger had displayed, he wasn’t surprised that he had the strength to match. But it didn’t seem that he was enhanced by Mirakuru and although curious, he was also about to lose his temper. It was Thor who held him back and took over.

“Who are you that would make Captain Rogers thus angry?” Thor asked curiously. When the stranger did not reply, he glanced at Steve, his eyes questioning.

Steve clenched his jaw as he responded. “He’s the man that was spying on Felicity at the hospital the day the car bomb went off. Queen tried to chase him but he said he was too fast. Now we know that he’s been enhanced.”

Thor’s gaze was a lot darker when his focus returned to the stranger’s face. “You were threatening Felicity’s safety and that is not something I forgive. So you will tell me now who you are or suffer the consequences of trying to harm my friends.”

“I was not going to harm her. I was only sent to watch her.”

“I do not believe you, Midgardian. Tell me who you are or I will make you.” Thor was becoming angrier and Steve was growing worried that the stranger might not be able to talk if Thor decided to have a go at him.

Before Steve could intervene, the stranger came to a decision on his own. “The name’s Grant Wilson.”

“You’re related to Slade Wilson?” Steve asked.

“Not as far as I’m concerned.” Wilson replied.

“Alright, Grant Wilson. Who sent you here?” Steve asked, become more irate.

Wilson seemed to weigh his options before responding. “I was supposed to find out more on Felicity Smoak and what she did and report back on her comings and goings.”

Thor clenched his fists tighter, his face even darker than before. “Who were you to report to?”

“H.I.V.E.” Wilson replied. “But I don’t know why they needed or wanted the information. I was just to report. That day when I was watching her, I got too close but I couldn’t figure out what she was up to and I needed to move in closer. I will tell you that it is never my intent to cause her harm.”

Thor shook his head. “It matters not. Your presence is a threat itself.” He grabbed Wilson’s shirt and prepared to drag him off.

“Wait.” Steve held out his hand for Thor to give him another minute. “Who else were you supposed to come and watch?”

Steve felt dread as he heard the words. “No one else. Just Felicity Smoak.”

 


End file.
